Finding myself fast and furiously: The role of agency-communion orientation and self-concept clarity in support for radicalism

Abstract

The past research on radicalism is equivocal regarding the ways in which self-concept clarity shapes intentions to engage in radical behavior. Seeking to address the previous mixed findings in the literature, the present research examines how an individual’s agency–communion orientation moderates the effect of self-concept clarity on behavioral intentions for radical groups. Specifically, we propose that agency-oriented individuals show greater intentions to participate in radical groups when they experience low (vs. high) self-concept clarity, whereas communion-oriented individuals show no significant differences in their intentions to participate in radical groups across levels of self-concept clarity. A 2 (agency-communion orientation: low vs. high) × 2 (self-concept clarity: low vs. high) experimental design was used to test the hypotheses. Using gender as a proxy variable for agency-communion orientation, Study 1 shows that agency–communion orientation moderates the effect of self-concept clarity on intentions to participate in radical groups. Using chronic individual differences in agency–communion orientation, Study 2 shows that psychological entitlement mediates the interactive effect of self-concept clarity and agency–communion orientation on behavioral intentions for radical groups. Taken together, these findings support the role of agency–communion orientation and self-concept clarity in radicalism.