Adolescent Self-Rejection and Adult Social Action: A Conditional Relationship

Objective. Theoretically informed models of the relationship between stigmatized personal identities and participation in collective social action are tested. Methods. Data from a longitudinal study of participants (N = 4,169) followed between adolescence and the fourth decade of life are used to estimate structural equation models. Results. The data support hypotheses that perceived rejection during adolescence anticipates participation in social action under conditions when respondents reported during adolescence (1) that many of the kids at school participated in social movements (p< .10) and (2) that they perceived themselves as having personal control over adverse outcomes (p< .05), but not under mutually exclusive conditions. In all models, gender, mother's education, and minority status were specified as control variables. Conclusions. Early experiences of rejection and failure dispose people to engage in collective social action if they perceive social support for such action and anticipate that action will be effective.