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The road to extremism: Field and experimental evidence that significance loss-induced need for closure fosters radicalization.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2018 Feb; 114(2):270-285.JP

Abstract

The present studies examined the hypothesis that loss of personal significance fuels extremism via the need for cognitive closure. Situations of significance loss-those that make one feel ashamed, humiliated, or demeaned-are inconsistent with the desire for a positive self-image, and instill a sense of uncertainty about the self. Consequently, individuals become motivated to seek certainty and closure that affords the restoration of personal significance. Extremist ideologies should thus increase in appeal, because they promise clear-cut strategies for such restoration. These notions were supported in a series of studies ranging from field surveys of political extremists imprisoned in the Philippines (Study 1) and Sri Lanka (Study 2) to experiments conducted with American samples (Studies 3-4). Implications of these findings are considered for the psychology of extremism, and for approaches to counterradicalization, and deradicalization. (PsycINFO Database Record

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Webber D
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Pubic Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Babush M
Booth School of Business, University of Chicago.
Schori-Eyal N
Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center.
Vazeou-Nieuwenhuis A
Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh.
Hettiarachchi M
Macquarie University.
Bélanger JJ
Department of Psychology, New York University.
Moyano M
Universidad de Cordoba.
Trujillo HM
Universidad de Granada.
Gunaratna R
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.
Kruglanski AW
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland.
Gelfand MJ
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland.

MeSH

AdultFemaleHumansMalePhilippinesPoliticsPrisonersReligion and PsychologySelf ConceptSingaporeSri LankaTerrorismUnited States

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

28872332

Citation

Webber, David, et al. "The Road to Extremism: Field and Experimental Evidence That Significance Loss-induced Need for Closure Fosters Radicalization." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 114, no. 2, 2018, pp. 270-285.
Webber D, Babush M, Schori-Eyal N, et al. The road to extremism: Field and experimental evidence that significance loss-induced need for closure fosters radicalization. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2018;114(2):270-285.
Webber, D., Babush, M., Schori-Eyal, N., Vazeou-Nieuwenhuis, A., Hettiarachchi, M., Bélanger, J. J., Moyano, M., Trujillo, H. M., Gunaratna, R., Kruglanski, A. W., & Gelfand, M. J. (2018). The road to extremism: Field and experimental evidence that significance loss-induced need for closure fosters radicalization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(2), 270-285. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000111
Webber D, et al. The Road to Extremism: Field and Experimental Evidence That Significance Loss-induced Need for Closure Fosters Radicalization. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2018;114(2):270-285. PubMed PMID: 28872332.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - The road to extremism: Field and experimental evidence that significance loss-induced need for closure fosters radicalization. AU - Webber,David, AU - Babush,Maxim, AU - Schori-Eyal,Noa, AU - Vazeou-Nieuwenhuis,Anna, AU - Hettiarachchi,Malkanthi, AU - Bélanger,Jocelyn J, AU - Moyano,Manuel, AU - Trujillo,Humberto M, AU - Gunaratna,Rohan, AU - Kruglanski,Arie W, AU - Gelfand,Michele J, Y1 - 2017/09/04/ PY - 2017/9/6/pubmed PY - 2019/10/15/medline PY - 2017/9/6/entrez SP - 270 EP - 285 JF - Journal of personality and social psychology JO - J Pers Soc Psychol VL - 114 IS - 2 N2 - The present studies examined the hypothesis that loss of personal significance fuels extremism via the need for cognitive closure. Situations of significance loss-those that make one feel ashamed, humiliated, or demeaned-are inconsistent with the desire for a positive self-image, and instill a sense of uncertainty about the self. Consequently, individuals become motivated to seek certainty and closure that affords the restoration of personal significance. Extremist ideologies should thus increase in appeal, because they promise clear-cut strategies for such restoration. These notions were supported in a series of studies ranging from field surveys of political extremists imprisoned in the Philippines (Study 1) and Sri Lanka (Study 2) to experiments conducted with American samples (Studies 3-4). Implications of these findings are considered for the psychology of extremism, and for approaches to counterradicalization, and deradicalization. (PsycINFO Database Record SN - 1939-1315 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/28872332/The_road_to_extremism:_Field_and_experimental_evidence_that_significance_loss_induced_need_for_closure_fosters_radicalization_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -