Commitment across the Miles: Ideological and Microstructural Sources of Membership Support in a National Antihunger Organization

The national membership organizations that often compose social movements usually find it very difficult to promote and sustain membership commitment. Since their isolated members have relatively little contact with the organization or with each other, they are unlikely to develop strong feelings of support for the national organization. Despite these problems, levels of commitment among members still vary, making it important for theoretical and pragmatic reasons to identify the factors affecting differential support. This study examines the effects of ideological, microstructural, and other sources of commitment in a national antihunger organization. Final remarks address the theoretical and pragmatic implications of the findings.