Abstract
The present research investigates the role of kama muta on intentions to participate in collective action to foster racial equity. I considered intergroup dynamics in collective action and included data from both advantaged and disadvantaged racial groups in the context of the Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM). In addition to kama muta, I investigated the role of sadness and anger in collective action. The central hypothesis was that collective efficacy appraisals predict kama muta experiences, and these, in turn, predict motivation to engage in actions that promote racial equity as the shared goal of the movement. Besides, anger and sadness would mediate the relationship between unfairness appraisals and collective action. Two correlational studies tested these predictions. In a preliminary study (pilot, N = 78), I tested a new measure of anger, sadness, and kama muta adapted to the present research context. Results indicated that kama muta toward the BLM movement and sadness toward the system of racial inequalities predict intentions to participate in collective action. In the main study (N = 215), I tested the mediation model in White and Black participants. Results suggest that kama muta toward the movement and anger toward the system of racial inequalities mediate the relationship between both appraisals and collective actions in Black and White participants. Instead, sadness only mediated the relationship between unfairness and collective action intentions in White participants. In conclusion, kama muta contributes to collective action toward racial equity among disadvantaged and advantaged racial groups as a result of both unfairness and collective efficacy appraisals. I discuss the implications of these findings in collective action and intergroup relations research.