The Social Psychology of Violent Extremism

Abstract

In this chapter, we examined why violence is appealing in the context of political engagement. We characterized violent political extremism-that is, inflicting a high severity of aggression or violence to achieve a political, ideological, or religious goal-in terms of a motivational imbalance, in which a given need assumes dominance over alternative concerns. This implies sacrifice as a defining feature of extremism. After reviewing the psychological literature on the social and psychological causes of the use of violence in political and social movements, we proposed that prior research on violent extremism can be integrated under the parameters of the 3N framework (of Needs, Narratives, and Networks). The relevant literature on violent extremism is, then, discussed within this framework. We conclude that violent extremism is a means to satisfy the need for significance and its execution is a function of the accessible narratives and social networks.