“What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents.” Robert F. Kennedy
In recent years, we've seen a frightening rise in acts of violence committed either by organized groups or by "lone wolf" operators acting on their own. Though numerous theories have been put forward to try explaining what makes some people especially vulnerable to being recruited by extremist organizations or to embrace specific causes, actual research looking at militant extremism has yet to provide any clear answers to date.
But is there such a thing as an extremist mind-set? And could it be possible to identify people who might be prone to violent extremism based on the beliefs that they express? A new model proposed by researchers at the University of Belgrade suggests that it can. In a recent study published in the Journal of Individual Differences, Janko Mededovic and Goran Knezevic of Belgrade's Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research described what they termed the Militant Extremist Mind-Set (MEM) based on analysis of statements released by terrorist groups from seven different world regions. Though the content varied widely according to the stated goals of each organization, three primary underlying factors stand out:
- Proviolence - advocating violence as a way of achieving the intended goals as laid out in manifestos and public statements (including statements such as, War is the beginning of
salvation."
- Vile World thinking - essentially regarding the world as a violent and unjust place for which there are no peaceful solutions (including blaming the Illuminati, international bankers, Jews, Communists, or other shadowy organizations lurking behind the scenes).
- Higher Power belief - belief in a higher being or principle that can be used to justify extremist acts. While this be a religious belief, faith in a utopian cause can often be applied in the same way by nominally atheist groups or individuals. Extremists who embrace martyrdom often rely on Divine Power arguments to rationalize their actions.
Though Vile World and Divine Power thinking can be also occur in extremists, it is only by embracing Proviolence attitudes that they are most likely to engage in violent acts.
To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post.
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