Violent Radicalism and the Psychology of Prepossession

Abstract

The phenomenon of violent radicalism/extremism is portrayed as a consequence of a mechanism that fosters extremism in general. This is the process of motivational imbalance or “prepossession”, a state wherein a given need becomes dominant to the point of inhibiting other needs. In the case of violent extremism, the dominant need is the quest for significance, the desire to matter and have self and others’ respect. Whereas the “hydraulic” domination-inhibition process that underlies extremism can be observed across levels of phylogeny, the motivational imbalance in those cases is typically brief in duration. In the case of humans, however, participation in violent extremism can be long lasting, due to its facilitation by a compelling narrative” that ties violence to the attainment of significance, and is embraced by a “network” of trusted others (individuals’ friends and relatives) who validate the narrative and bestow significance on individuals who implement its dictates.

Minority‐ versus Majority‐Status Group Intentions to Transgress the Law When Oppression Is Perceived

“…This is related to the literature highlighting the relation between social identity theory (Tajfel, 1981;Tajfel & Turner, 2005) and the process of radicalization (e.g., Al Raffie, 2013;Raets, 2017). In this vein, Kruglanski (2018) states that the loss of significance is bound up in the individuals' social identity. Thus, the role of social identity is fundamental to the process of radicalization.…”

An Analysis of Psychological Dynamics and Factors Causing the Formation of the Radicalism Attitude Among University Students in Palu

“…From the results of the analysis, the number of respondents with a low radicalism attitude tendency higher than that of high one. However, on the basis of the research results (Kruglanski, 2018) that the main cause of radical actions and terrorism are not from the psycho-pathology factors, and they are much influenced by the environmental factors or the social learning results obtained from the factors of kinship, solidarity, friends' persuasion, instruction form a person considered to be senior.. Inexistent pathological elements in individuals in a radical group do not mean that psychological factors do not contribute to the emergence of radical attitude. A research result by (Borum, 2011) showed that individuals involved in radical groups or organizations and terrorism do not show any psycho-pathological indications or have certain types of personality, but the manifestation of the behavior is oriented into actions leading them to behave aggressively.…”

Radicalism, extremism, other? Developing and validating the Adolescent Radicalization Outcomes Questionnaire (AROQ)

“…Similarly, parts of the literature treat radicalism and extremism as the same construct, i.e. as interchangeable outcomes of radicalization processes, despite criticism of this approach (Bötticher, 2017;de Lange & Mudde, 2005;Kruglanski, 2018). Lastly, some accounts of extremism are specific to certain ideologies or belief systems (Altemeyer, 1981;Webber et al, 2017), as opposed to global measures.…”

“…Radicalism and extremism are often used in close proximity to one another in the literature, despite notable differences in their definitions (Bötticher, 2017;de Lange & Mudde, 2005). This may be due to the fact that both are associated with a particular intensity in terms of commitment to ideological convictions (Kruglanski, 2018). However, where extremism is supremacist and oriented towards enforcing its ideas in an authoritarian manner, radicalism is inherently supportive of universal human rights, equality, and open to diversity of opinions; it seeks to convince rather than enforce, and to emancipate rather than oppress (Bötticher, 2017).…”