2022 in perspective: Social issue engagement driven by political movements

As we enter 2023, we see from last year’s Cause and Social Influence (CSI) research that actions supporting social issues and engagement are being driven largely by political movements. This isn’t so much new as heightened to a degree we haven’t experienced for some time because of the polarized atmosphere we live in today. The situation calls for a new response from cause leaders.

In 2022, I had the opportunity to lead more than 20 research studies on social issues, movements, and campaign messaging that studied social issue actions locally and globally, by young Americans, adults, and companies and organizations interested in supporting those who seek change. Through all these studies, two major truths became clear:

• People who care about social issues are genuinely open to learning more about them but only from trusted sources.
• Supporters of an issue are not all on one side or the other; in fact, there are a large group of people in the undecided middle who lean in opposite directions, continuing to refute the ways cohorts are often portrayed in the media.

Strategies aimed at securing these individuals as supporters must begin when they are learning about a social issue of interest.

Knowledge to attitudes to behaviors

As human beings, our attitudes are built on cultural, familial, and social exposures. Combined with what we learn through more educational channels, this is what influences our behaviors, including social issue actions. Below is a list of key indicators from research in the past year that I led or involved with that I believe shapes the outlook for 2023.

The ACRI 2022 Trusted Messenger Study found that the majority of Americans become aware of an issue–that is, begin to gain knowledge–from sources who have broad reach (celebrities, media, politicians, and government officials). However, Americans look to people closer to them—spouses, family, and friends—as well as credentialed professionals to help them understand the knowledge they’ve gathered. The closer a source is, the more an individual is likely to trust them. As the study stated, “Who the message comes from is just as—if not more—important than the content of the message itself.”

• Sources of initial knowledge: Celebrities, media, politicians, government officials
• Sources of trust for attitude development: Spouses, family, friends, credentialed professionals

Our Cause and Social Issue research in 2022 has shown that nonprofits and companies are among those who are trusted as messengers of reliable information. When asked who or what prompted their actions in support of social issues, respondents over years have listed causes and nonprofits at or near the top. We also have found that companies have the potential to become trusted messengers; for three years now, these studies have shown that two-thirds of young Americans believe companies have “a great deal” to “some influence on people’s attitudes toward social issues.”

The importance of the source of information about social issues cannot be understated. In the research I lead for Civic Life Today: The State of U.S. Civic Engagement, we explained why Points of Light added a “Listen and Learn” element to its Civic Circle:

“Messengers play a critical role, then, in supporting or detracting from the knowledge (content) being absorbed by our audiences.…We believe the basis of every civic action should be rooted in a deep understanding of the issue. Taking action without listening and learning to the affected communities can do deep harm and make your actions less effective. ‘Listen and learn’ was the top civic action taken in the United States.”

Psychologists say that attitudes tend to become second nature to humans, ingrained in a person’s way of thinking. Since attitudes are built on cultural, familial, social, and educational inputs, causes and social issue organizations must become trusted messengers providing comprehensive and accurate information at the outset of any supporter relationship.

Addressing issues with seeds of trust

The final 2022 CSI study found that slightly more than half of young Americans believe their social movement participation is worth some personal risk and leads to success. We were surprised to learn how they measure success: increased media coverage for their issue (36 percent), followed by increased social media conversations (29 percent), are seen as better measures of success than government action, company policy shifts, or increased funding. This is a significant finding because it showcases how media coverage is perceived as unlocking more knowledge and actions by the public.

The biggest issues of 2022 each gained momentum and increased media coverage from political, social, and cultural moments: women’s rights and reproductive health, mental health, climate change, and gun safety; voting also merits mention here. A social issue moment is a short-term surge of individual actions inspired by an event, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Social issue leaders should be wary of tying the perception of being a trusted messenger to earned media coverage: It is a double-edged sword: While it may bring temporary attention to a cause, media attention is short-lived and incomplete. Media portrayals also can be inaccurate, diverting attention away from where a cause needs to focus.

Here’s a summary of how 2022’s biggest issues fit on the knowledge-attitudes-behavior continuum:

Voting. As revealed in our reports for 2022, narratives about the voting process created attitudes of distrust on both sides of the political aisle toward the validity of elections, a loss of faith in democracy and the belief that elections are too influenced by money. When added to roadblocks such as lack of access to early voting and nearby registration sites (such as on college campuses), attitudes have led to some of the confused and even threatening behaviors we have seen since the 2020 presidential election.

Mental health. The Ad Council Mental Health Initiative found that narrow or inaccurate perceptions and negative beliefs and attitudes about mental health still lead to a lot of resistance to openly discussing mental health issues. At the same time, more than half of Americans struggle with anxiety and depression. Mental health is now talked about as an intersectional part of issues such as racial discrimination, gun safety, health care, and gender identification.

Women’s rights. Religious narratives, individual stories, conflicting information and more from both sides have contributed to the development of vocal attitudes around the abortion issue. These manifested in protests across the country around the overturning of Roe v. Wade; Americans kept women’s rights and reproductive issues at the top of their list of concerns throughout 2022 .

Gun safety. Through CSI and client research, we have seen information surrounding mass shootings, police actions and reform and civil rights and racial discrimination shape the development of attitudes toward guns on both sides. The issue of gun ownership remains high on the list of concerns for Americans.

A word about the role of business

For a number of years now, Cause and Social Influence researchers have found that young Americans’ expectations of corporate social involvement and their belief in corporate influence is strong and shows no signs of waning: About 75% have high expectations for a company to be involved in and take a public stance on social issues. However, is corporate involvement absolutely necessary for engaging the public in a cause? According to The Corporate Social Mind Annual Review: Consumer Expectations of Companies to Address Social Issues, 2022, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are unknown to most people,  and environmental, social and governance (ESGs) is under scrutiny. These issues create challenges for companies when determining the right approach for measurements, supports, and activations.

A final word

What should cause leaders do now? Our research shows that people want to learn about issues from the people they can trust, with that trust based on who provides balanced, comprehensive information about social issues of concern. Therefore, establishing trust through authentic narratives aimed at securing supporter loyalty should be every cause or social issue’s goal in 2023. Remember that one-size-fits-all (or even one-size-fits-many) actions to support an issue cannot be your only strategy. And while issues change at the national and federal levels, local efforts that are felt more substantively can change behaviors more effectively. Therefore, it would be a mistake to count out local action just because there is no national action—especially when stalemates at the top are hindering progress.

Derrick Feldmann (@derrickfeldmann) is the founder of the Millennial Impact Project, lead researcher at Cause & Social Influence, and the author of The Corporate Social Mind. See Derrick’s related articles in Philanthropy News Digest, “Nurturing a community for the greatest impact” and “Creating symbiosis between marketing and advocacy.” He also is managing director, Ad Council Research Institute and the Ad Council Edge Strategic Consultancy.