Showing Up For Social Change

The Black Lives Matter movement is one of the largest social movements in history. In 2020, millions of people marched in racial justice protests across all seven continents—even Antarctica. Companies released statements condemning racism and pledged billions of dollars in support of racial equity. In homes around the world, people read books about race, reflected on their role in perpetuating systemic racism, and engaged in difficult conversations.

Fast forward five years, and some of those passionate voices remain active in the fight for racial justice. Yet many others have fallen silent. In America, support for the Black Lives Matter movement has decreased by almost 40% since the summer of 2020.

Social change often gains momentum when an issue is trending, but real progress depends on long-term commitment. Who remains committed to fighting for racial justice in the long term? And how can we encourage more allies to show up for social change—even when an issue loses momentum and visibility? Researchers at Stanford and Yale set out to answer these questions.

The Research: Strategic Mindsets and Social Change

The research uses a strategic thinking framework to explore why and how allies choose to engage in the struggle for racial justice. When thinking through complex decisions like advocating for social change, people can think about how their actions (and others’ actions) influence their outcomes (and others’ outcomes). This process involves four distinct strategic mindsets: an impact mindset, a dependency mindset, an egocentric mindset, and an altercentric mindset.

Types of Strategic Mindsets

Source: Preeti Vani

Each mindset represents a unique internal dialogue. For example, someone with an impact mindset asks, “How will my actions affect others?” while someone with an egocentric mindset focuses on self-interest, with questions like, “What consequences will my actions have for me?”

We might expect that the mindsets that drive engagement with the racial justice movement would differ across racial groups. Surprisingly, the researchers found a unifying pattern. Across racial groups, the more someone thought about how their actions shape the outcomes of others (i.e., the more someone adopted an impact mindset), the more likely they were to engage with the racial justice movement in both the short term and the long term.

To uncover these insights, the researchers gathered data from approximately 800 Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White Americans. They asked participants two key questions: (1) How much do you focus on each mindset when thinking about the racial justice movement? and (2) How often have you engaged in supportive behaviors (like attending protests, signing petitions, or donating to racial justice organizations) in the past three months?

The Key Finding: Having an Impact Mindset Inspires People to Engage with Social Change

Across all racial groups, those with a stronger impact mindset were significantly more likely to take real-world actions in support of the racial justice movement, such as organizing in their communities, protesting, or donating to racial justice organizations. While Black Americans engaged in more actions overall compared to other racial groups, the psychological driver of engagement—an impact mindset—was consistent across racial groups.

Even more compelling, the researchers followed up eight months later. They found that having an impact mindset at the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests not only predicted immediate action, but also predicted sustained support for the movement nearly a year later, even as public attention waned.

The research team also asked questions about how participants perceived the behavior of others, and found that people often misunderstood what motivated others to take action. Non-Black Americans, for example, incorrectly assumed that Black Americans were primarily driven by an egocentric mindset (e.g., “What does this mean for me?”). In reality, Black Americans were motivated by the same impact mindset as everyone else.

How to Use This Research to Motivate Others and Show Up for Social Change

So, what does this mean for the racial justice movement today? The findings reveal that emphasizing the impact that one can have on other people is a powerful, shared language in mobilizing people to fight for racial justice. If you want to rally your community for collective action, highlight how individuals’ efforts can shape outcomes for others. Show how their voices, choices, and actions can create real change beyond themselves.

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The research also underscores the importance of self-reflection. If you’re committed to long-term social change, focus on the ways your decisions impact the lives of others. This perspective not only strengthens your resolve but also helps you become a more effective ally over time.

The journey toward racial justice is long and complex. But by centering an impact mindset, we can all contribute to creating a more equitable world. Together, we can ensure that momentum for social change doesn’t fade but continues to drive meaningful progress — one action, one choice, and one community at a time.