Social Forces in Petition- Signing
Robert R. Blake, Jane Srygley Mouton, Jack D. Hain · 2016
phenomena, with investigations conducted under test-tube conditions to replicate situations occurring in real-life settings.1 Two advantages result from transposing laboratory methods of experimentation to the natural setting where the phenomenon occurs. One is that increased confidence can be placed in the conclusions reached concerning the explanation of the phenomenon, since the method makes use of both control and systematic variation rather than depending upon procedures which allow for only post hoc explanations. A second advantage concerns the directness of the application of the findings. Since the social action investigated occurs under natural conditions and since participants are unaware that their behavior is being evaluated in a systematic way, there can be no question as to the validity of the conclusions reached for use in social engineering. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an experimental social analysis of a typical community phenomenon through a critique of the petition as a mechanism for inducing social change, and to evaluate the principles derived therefrom for application from the standpoint of social engineering.