Collaborative Research: The Impact of Legitimacy by Endorsement on Coalition Formation in Power Structures

合作研究：认可的合法性对权力结构中联盟形成的影响

• 批准号: 0455926
• 负责人: Henry Walker
• 金额: $ 1.98万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-01 至 2008-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0455926&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Impact; Legitimacy; Endorsement

SES-0456064David WillerUniversity of South CarolinaSES-0455926Henry WalkerUniversity of ArizonaThis research integrates two major sociological theoretical research perspectives-Network Exchange Theory and Legitimacy Theory-to study the effects of legitimacy by endorsement on coalition formation in strong power structures. From Network Exchange Theory (NET), experiments have been completed to show that high-power central actors reap maximal benefits at exchange and low-power peripherals get minimal rewards. At issue for this research is whether low power actors will act to form coalitions and oppose the power exercised over them and, if so, with what effectiveness. Legitimacy Theory (LT) argues that group members are more likely to take actions that are collectively legitimized. When applied to exchange network processes, LT implies that low power actors are more likely to initiate coalition activity, to actually form coalitions, and to act effectively in them when coalition formation has been legitimized. The current experiments will study the effects of legitimacy by endorsement. In LT, endorsement refers to the approval or support that low power actors give to various elements of social situations including actors, positions or roles, behaviors and the rules that link actors, roles and behaviors. In this experimental study, subjects will complete a series of negotiations and exchanges in two-part. In Part 1, subjects negotiate exchanges independently. No one is given the opportunity to form a coalition. Joint application of NET and LT implies that subjects are most likely to initiate coalition formation and to actually form coalitions in the High Endorsement treatment and least likely to do so in the Low Endorsement condition with the control condition falling between. Coalitions are expected to be more stable (i.e., members are less likely to defect) and more effective in the High Endorsement condition and least stable and least effective in the Low Endorsement condition. A coalition's effectiveness is measured by the extent of its success in countervailing power. The two-structure design permits observation of size effects on coalition formation, stability and effectiveness, and permits tests of more than 20 additional theoretical predictions.BROADER IMPACTThe theory of collective action offers a quite gloomy picture for the prospects of acting collectively. Nevertheless, collective actions do succeed and, when they do, often that theory is silent. Do they succeed at times because of the effects of legitimacy? This research will answer that question. The research will enhance sociology's infrastructure by adding its coalition designs to the Web-Lab housed at the University of South Carolina (weblab.moore.sc.edu). Like all Web-Lab designs, researchers at any location in the U.S. or elsewhere will be able to access these. The USC laboratory contributes to research-based learning, offering undergraduate and graduate classes using the Web-Lab. Designs used in this research will importantly enhance that course work. The USC laboratory also enhances diversity among student researchers. Currently, the majority of student researchers are women and, in a typical year, 20% of student researchers are African-American.

SES-0456064David Willer南卡罗来纳大学SES-0455926Henry Walker亚利桑那大学这项研究整合了两大社会学理论研究视角——网络交换理论和合法性理论——研究强权力结构中背书的合法性对联盟形成的影响。根据网络交换理论（NET），已经完成的实验表明，高功率中央参与者在交换中获得最大收益，而低功率外围设备获得最小回报。这项研究的问题是，低权力行为者是否会采取行动组成联盟并反对对他们行使权力，如果是的话，效果如何。合法性理论（LT）认为，群体成员更有可能采取集体合法化的行动。当应用于交换网络过程时，LT意味着低权力参与者更有可能发起联盟活动，实际形成联盟，并在联盟形成合法化时在其中有效行动。目前的实验将研究背书对合法性的影响。在LT中，认可是指低权力行为者对社会情境的各种要素（包括行为者、职位或角色、行为以及连接行为者、角色和行为的规则）给予的认可或支持。在本实验研究中，受试者将分两部分完成一系列的谈判和交流。在第 1 部分中，受试者独立协商交换。没有人有机会组建联盟。 NET 和 LT 的联合应用意味着受试者在高认可处理中最有可能发起联盟形成并实际形成联盟，而在低认可条件下最不可能这样做，而控制条件介于两者之间。在高认可条件下，联盟预计会更稳定（即成员叛逃的可能性较小）且更有效，而在低认可条件下联盟将最不稳定且最不有效。联盟的有效性是通过其对抗力量的成功程度来衡量的。两种结构的设计允许观察规模对联盟形成、稳定性和有效性的影响，并允许测试 20 多个额外的理论预测。 更广泛的影响 集体行动理论为集体行动的前景提供了一幅相当黯淡的图景。尽管如此，集体行动确实会成功，而且当成功时，这种理论往往是沉默的。他们有时会因为合法性的影响而成功吗？这项研究将回答这个问题。该研究将通过将其联盟设计添加到南卡罗来纳大学的网络实验室（weblab.moore.sc.edu）来增强社会学的基础设施。与所有网络实验室设计一样，美国或其他地方任何地点的研究人员都可以访问这些内容。南加州大学实验室致力于研究型学习，使用网络实验室提供本科生和研究生课程。本研究中使用的设计将极大地增强该课程的效果。南加州大学实验室还增强了学生研究人员的多样性。目前，大多数学生研究人员是女性，通常情况下，20% 的学生研究人员是非裔美国人。