Research has shown that when control is threatened, people are more likely to turn to groups that are perceived as particularly agentic. However, the question of under what conditions control threat can mobilize individuals to join problem-focused, activist groups remains unresolved. In the present research, we propose that strength of involvement in group-based actions depends on the match between the domain of a threatened control goal and the domain in which the particular group acts. First, a match can occur when the level of control threat matches (vs. does not match) the domain in which a specific group is active. Second, a match can occur when a group operates in the same domain in which the threat to control occurs (vs. in a different domain). We tested these two cases in two countries, focusing on the context of ecological threat (i.e., the air pollution problem) and environmental activism. We did not find support for the first type of match in the data. We did find, however, partial support for another type of match. Specifically, low control participants wanted to join the group and act on its behalf only when there was a match between lack of control and the activist group domain. We interpret these results as initial evidence for the hypothesis that group-based actions among control-deprived individuals can be strategic and goal-driven.

研究表明，当控制受到威胁时，人们更有可能求助于被认为特别具有影响力的群体。然而，在什么条件下控制威胁可以动员个人加入以问题为中心的激进组织的问题仍未得到解决。在本研究中，我们提出参与基于群体的行动的强度取决于受威胁的控制目标的领域与特定群体行动的领域之间的匹配。首先，当控制威胁级别匹配（与不匹配）特定组处于活动状态的域时，可能会发生匹配。其次，当一个组在发生控制威胁的同一域中运行时（相对于在不同域中），可能会发生匹配。我们在两个国家测试了这两个案例，重点关注生态威胁的背景（即，空气污染问题）和环保行动主义。我们没有在数据中找到对第一种匹配类型的支持。但是，我们确实发现了对另一种匹配类型的部分支持。具体来说，只有在缺乏控制和激进组织域之间存在匹配时，低控制参与者才想加入该组并代表该组采取行动。我们将这些结果解释为以下假设的初步证据，即在被剥夺控制的个体中基于群体的行为可以是战略性的和目标驱动的。只有在缺乏控制和激进组织域之间存在匹配时，低控制参与者才想加入该组织并代表该组织采取行动。我们将这些结果解释为以下假设的初步证据，即在被剥夺控制的个体中基于群体的行为可以是战略性的和目标驱动的。只有在缺乏控制和激进组织域之间存在匹配时，低控制参与者才想加入该组织并代表该组织采取行动。我们将这些结果解释为以下假设的初步证据，即在被剥夺控制的个体中基于群体的行为可以是战略性的和目标驱动的。