Three-dimensional delineation of Changers-for-Good: From practice to conceptualization

Abstract

This article advances the psychological knowledge on the phenomenon of Changers-for-Good (C4Gs), that is, individuals who extend the range of the possible, addressing pressing and often insurmountable social problems and achieving durable and systemic social change. C4Gs are presented from both conceptual and practical perspectives. It is documented, through the presented examples and literature review, that their approach could be perceived on three axes: Conceptual, performative, and ethical. Each of these dimensions can be broken down into components: Conceptual: Perceiving challenges as doable, divergent thinking, embracing contradictions, and the cognitive part of the Peace-Oriented Mindset (POM); Performative: Entrepreneurial qualities, propensity for building social capital, and action-oriented POM; Ethical: Empathy, compassion, and—possibly—a blend of the two: Empassion. Moreover, assessment methods for each of these components are presented. It is concluded that the C4G model may be a gateway for educating and training future social sector leaders.