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Abstract
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In a world in which polarization of views is all too apparent, and where extremism is sometimes expressed in violent and terrorist acts, understanding of the factors and processes involved in radicalization, and in the occasional transition from extreme views to violent actions, is of crucial importance. This is also imperative when we want to understand processes of deradicalization and how to counter radicalization into violent extremism. The fostering of such understanding was the principal aim of this Frontiers Research Topic.
Previous work in the field has considered various different psychological and psychosocial aspects of radicalization, drawing upon a range of theoretical perspectives. The continuation of this can be seen across the papers collected in this Research Topic.
A major focus of several of the papers concerns the 'push, pull, and personal' factors (Vergani et al., 2020) that may predispose an individual to become radicalized. At the personal, individual level, Braddock et al. provide evidence of the role of Machiavellianism (but not other "dark tetrad" personality traits), which interacted with narrative exposure and vividness to amplify the persuasive effect of terrorist narratives. Grimbergen and Fassaert point to the relevance of psychiatric disorders, self-sufficiency problems, and reported adverse childhood experiences, finding high levels of these in people suspected of violent extremism.
Turning to the relationship of the individual to the group, Isenhardt et al. provide evidence that identity diffusion increases approval of left-wing and Islamist extremist attitudes and mediates somewhat the influence of parenting on extremist attitudes. People who have experienced identity diffusion may be particularly vulnerable to identity fusion, for example with an extremist group, and Martel et al. present research findings indicating that identity fusion is a significant predictor of fighting and dying for a cause, as are sacred values and moral convictions, with identity fusion being the strongest predictor of endorsement of self-sacrifice, particularly when the validity of the personal self is under threat. Mason et al. also provide evidence that identity fusion is prominent in political activists, and associated with willingness to undertake extreme behavior; that becoming an activist provides individuals with a clearer and more positive view of themselves, in contrast with extreme negative views of the opposing group; and that similar processes operate in people with contrasting political views...
Language: en |