YOU COULD BE THE 100TH MONKEY - COLLECTIVE ACTION FRAMES AND VOCABULARIES OF MOTIVE WITHIN THE NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT MOVEMENT

Building on recent developments by social constructionists, this paper seeks to advance theoretical and empirical understanding of micromobi lization processes associated with social movement recruitment and par ticipation. Data derived from a four-year field study of the nuclear d isarmament movement are employed to identify and elaborate four generi c vocabularies of motive that emerge via interaction among activists, rank and file supporters, recruits and significant others: vocabularie s of (1) severity, (2) urgency, (3) efficacy and (4) propriety. These vocabularies of motive provide movement actors with compelling rationa les to take action on behalf of the movement and/or its organizations. The data suggest that peace movement groups cultivate the imputation and avowal of these motives as a means of stimulating collective actio n. Several implications for future research are offered which draw upo n the insights of resource mobilization theory and social construction ism.