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Journal of Humanistic Psychology
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The Rewards and Stresses of Social Change

A Qualitative Study of Peace Activists

Mary E. Gomes

Department of Psychology, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Although a number of studies have compared individuals who become activists to those who do not, little is known about the ongoing rewards and struggles experienced by committed activists. The present research, as part of a larger study, specifically assesses the most common rewards and stresses experienced by peace activists. Surveys of 75 current peace activists were analyzed in terms of their most frequent rewarding and stressful experiences. Surprisingly, the community of fellow activists was cited as both the most rewarding and most stressful aspect of being a peace activist. The meaningfulness of peace work emerged as the second most common reward, and success in achieving goals was third. Failure to achieve goals was the second most frequent stressful experience. Results are discussed in terms of (a) interpersonal conflict resolution among peace activists and its implications for their peace work, (b) the ability of peace activists to endure a great deal of stress in the context of their work being meaningful, and (c) the assumptions of previous research that success and failure are the most salient features of activists' experience.

Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 32, No. 4, 138-146 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/0022167892324008
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