Radicalization and violent extremism: Perspectives from research on group processes and intergroup relations

Abstract

Radicalization and violent extremism leading to violent protests, repression, and terrorist attacks constitute important issues in our world. Social psychological group processes and intergroup dynamics play a key role in creating resilience against or facilitating the path towards violent extremism. The present body of work brings together and furthers our understanding of these factors by integrating insights from other fields, most centrally political science. In this introductory article, we summarize the state of the literature and suggest a social psychological research agenda for studying radicalization and violent extremism. This agenda (a) focuses on how the radicalization process commences and festers in ordinary people; (b) is ambitious in bringing research into the real world with protesters, the repressed, and groups engaged in conflict; (c) is pragmatic in measuring outcomes of interest; and (d) applies field experimental methodology, among other methodologies. With this perspective, we argue, social psychology is ideally positioned for a new decade of impactful research into radicalization and violent extremism.

Preference for online social interactions and support for violent radicalization among college and university students.

“…Violent radicalization (VR) is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon (McGilloway et al, 2015) that we here define as a process whereby an individual or a group increases support for violence as a legitimate means to reach a specific (e.g., political, social, religious) goal (Schmid, 2013). Although many theories and diverging definitions of VR exist in the literature, findings across disciplines converge on the complexity of the phenomenon and point to the importance of adopting a socioecological framework to understand VR attitudes and behaviors, as radicalization to violence is shaped by the complex interaction among specific micro- (e.g., mental health, personality), meso- (e.g., experiences with family, peers) and macrolevel (e.g., structural barriers in society) factors and needs to be situated within individuals’ specific social interactions and experiences (Gøtzsche-Astrup et al, 2020). In our globalized world, the widening in social inequalities has been directly associated with physical and mental health consequences for youth (Elgar et al, 2015).…”

“…In recent years, scholars seem to have reached a consensus on the central role played by group processes and intergroup relations in VR (Borum, 2014; de Graaf & Van den Bos, 2021; Gøtzsche-Astrup et al, 2020; Smith et al, 2020). Although risks associated with group processes may vary depending on the type of group and specific group dynamics, preliminary evidence suggests that social identity processes in terms of group affiliations and interactions can play a central role in the early process leading to positive attitudes toward violence (Milla et al, 2022; Smith et al, 2020).…”

Unfairness in Society and Over Time: Understanding Possible Radicalization of People Protesting on Matters of Climate Change

“…This is especially the case when people feel personally uncertain (Van den Bos and Lind, 2009;Hogg et al, 2013) or when they have insufficient capacity to correct self-centered tendencies (Van den Bos and Bal, 2016;Van den Bos, 2018). Whereas extensive research addressed the role of other psychological drivers including social identity and group processes (see McCauley and Moskalenko, 2008;Doosje et al, 2016;Gøtzsche-Astrup et al, 2020), significance quest (see Jasko et al, 2017;Kruglanski et al, 2018), and need for sensation (see Bjørgo, 2011), we focus on unfairness-inspired radicalization processes.…”

The Relationship between of Moral Injury and Radicalisation: A Systematic Review

“…Similarly, another theory of radicalization, the uncertain identity theory 17 suggests that individuals are highly motivated to reduce self-uncertainty, including uncertainty about their life, their future, and their identity. When self-uncertainty becomes chronic, pervasive, or acute, people are strongly attracted to extremist groups, because they prescribe a clear prototype for how one should behave, think, and feel in all situations, and how to behave toward out-group members 18 . Other theories of the process of radicalization also highlight that factors including experiences of peer pressure, a need for status, or seeking the thrill or sense of adventure from joining a counter cultural organization can similarly be push factors 19 .…”