Linking Members to Leaders: How Civic Associations Can Strengthen Members’ External Political Efficacy

• DOI: 10.1177/1532673X20972101
• Author: Geoffrey Henderson,Hahrie Han
• Published date: 01 May 2021
• Date: 01 May 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1532673X20972101

American Politics Research

2021, Vol. 49(3) 293 –303

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/1532673X20972101

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Article

Introduction

Americans’ perceptions of their external political efficacy—

their ability to influence government decisions—are central

to their decisions about whether to take part in all kinds of

collective action, from voting to protest (Finkel, 1985;

Hirsch, 1990; Moe, 1981; Olson, 1965; Verba et al., 1995).

Many Americans do not participate in politics because they

do not believe their participation will make a difference. In

recent decades, Americans’ external efficacy has declined

precipitously, posing a threat to the vibrant public engage-

ment that democracy requires (Kellman & Swanson, 2017;

Putnam, 2000). Growing disaffection with government has

dovetailed with a decades-long process of disengagement

from political and civic life (Putnam, 2000; Rosenstone &

Hansen, 1993; Skocpol, 2003).

Scholars have long suggested that involvement in civic

associations can help ordinary Americans discover their effi-

cacy as political actors (Christens et al., 2011; Han, 2014;

Osterman, 2006; Warren, 2001). Prior research has estab-

lished the link between association membership and politi-

cal participation, suggesting efficacy as a possible pathway

through which participation becomes more likely (Cassel,

1999; McFarland & Thomas, 2006; Olsen, 1982; Rogers

et al., 1975; Sobieraj & White, 2005; Verba & Nie, 1972).

Likewise, scholars have found that involvement in civic

associations facilitates the development of civic skills which

can be applied to political activity (Brown & Brown, 2003;

Terriquez, 2011; Verba et al., 1995).

We still need further analyses to better understand the

relationship between civic associations and people’s effi-

cacy, however, and the kinds of experiences within civic

associations that are most likely to shape efficacy. In many

cases, a lack of longitudinal data on members’ experiences

after they join civic associations has impeded efforts to

examine this relationship. This study draws on an original

panel dataset of several hundred environmental association

members to explore how various forms of involvement in a

civic association affect members’ external political efficacy.

This dataset allows us to examine trajectories of people’s

participation over time. The association in our study is typi-

cal of national civic associations in the United States, par-

ticularly as a voluntary organization with a democratic and

federated governance structure and an orientation toward a

public purpose. We find that relationships with leaders

increase external efficacy among association members. In

other words, members who get to know their association’s

972101APRXXX10.1177/1532673X20972101American Politics ResearchHenderson and Han

research-article2020

1Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

2University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Geoffrey Henderson, Johns Hopkins University, 338 Mergenthaler Hall,

3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-2625, USA.

Email: ghenderson@ucsb.edu

Linking Members to Leaders:

How Civic Associations Can Strengthen

Members’ External Political Efficacy

Geoffrey Henderson1,2 and Hahrie Han1

Abstract

Americans’ sense of external political efficacy—their belief in their ability to influence government decisions—has declined

precipitously in recent decades, eroding the public’s confidence in our system of representative democracy. Scholars have

long argued that involvement in civic associations can help ordinary Americans realize their political efficacy, yet a lack of

longitudinal data on association members’ attitudes and behaviors has impeded efforts to test this claim. To collect such

a dataset, we partnered with a national environmental association to conduct a unique panel study of members of eight

state-level organizations. We show that members who get to know their association’s leaders believe that they have greater

influence over government decisions. Our findings suggest that civic associations can strengthen their members’ efficacy by

cultivating volunteer leadership and fostering relationships between members and leaders.

Keywords

civic associations, external political efficacy, leadership, political participation