POLITICAL EFFICACY - ENHANCING THE CONSTRUCT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO MOBILIZATION OF PEOPLE

Political efficacy is a term used to represent an individual's perceiv ed ability to participate in and influence the political system. It ha s been suggested that political efficacy is composed of two distinct c omponents: internal and external political efficacy (Balch, 1974; McPh erson, Miller, Welch, & Clark, 1977). The purpose of this article is t o work toward an even broader and more precise conceptualization of po litical efficacy and its relationship to mobilization of people. Colle ctive political efficacy is proposed as a third component in the polit ical efficacy construct. Research findings presented in the article of fer some exploratory information concerning the relationships of this new component with the other political efficacy components. The findin gs are from a research project that involved the creation of a Homeles s Persons Union. In addition to examining relationships among the poli tical efficacy components, findings revealing effects of the intervent ion are briefly described in order to examine further the role of poli tical efficacy in relation to mobilization of people.