Although narratives are often credited with the capacity to change opinions, empirical tests of this prediction have produced mixed results. To provide a more precise test of narrative's effect on ...beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors, we performed meta-analyses on studies that evaluated narrative's persuasive influence on these outcomes. Results suggested positive relationships between exposure to a narrative and narrative-consistent beliefs (k = 37; N = 7,376; r = .17), attitudes (k = 40; N = 7,132; r = .19), intentions (k = 28; N = 5,211; r = .17), and behaviors (k = 5; N = 978; r = .23). Moderator analyses on the effect of fictionality yielded mixed results. Neither medium of presentation nor research design influenced the magnitude of the narrative-persuasion relationship. However, results suggested the presence of unidentified moderators.
Despite widespread recognition that the use of counternarratives is an important strategic component of countering violent extremism, to date, there are no comprehensive guidelines on how to develop ...and distribute counternarratives to effectively reduce support for terrorism. To redress this, we offer communication and psychology theory-based procedures for (1) analyzing terrorist narratives, (2) constructing counternarratives that challenge terrorist narratives, and (3) disseminating the counternarratives to overcome barriers to persuasion. Analysts and practitioners can use such guidelines in developing counternarratives to reduce support for violent extremism.
Terrorism researchers have long discussed the role of psychology in the radicalization process. This work has included research on the respective roles of individual psychological traits and ...responses to terrorist propaganda. Unfortunately, much of this work has looked at psychological traits and responses to propaganda individually and has not considered how these factors may interact. This study redresses this gap in the literature. In this experiment (
N
= 268), participants were measured in terms of their narcissism, Machiavellianism, subclinical psychopathy, and everyday sadism—collectively called the Dark Tetrad. Participants were then exposed to a vivid or nonvivid terrorist narrative (or a control message). Results indicate that Machiavellianism interacts with both narrative exposure and narrative vividness to amplify the persuasive effect of terrorist narratives. Neither narcissism, subclinical psychopathy, nor everyday sadism had such an effect. These results highlight the importance of considering the psychological traits of audiences when evaluating proclivity for radicalization
via
persuasion by terrorist narratives.
Research in several domains has shown that attitudinal inoculation effectively promotes resistance to persuasion. Despite its proven efficacy, inoculation has not been empirically tested as a ...strategy for preventing the adoption of beliefs and attitudes consistent with violent extremist ideologies. The current study addresses this gap in the literature. In a between-subjects experiment performed in the U.S., participants (N = 357) were exposed to an inoculation message or no-inoculation control message before reading left- or right-wing extremist propaganda. Inoculation positively predicted psychological reactance, which in turn, reduced intention to support the extremist group. Inoculation also negatively predicted perceptions of the extremist group's credibility, which positively predicted support intention. Neither the apparent source of the inoculation message, nor the ideological focus of the propaganda, moderated any of these relationships. These results effectively extend the scope of inoculation theory into the realm of violent extremism and have implications for the development of messages intended to prevent persuasive outcomes consistent with extremist ideologies.
Terrorism researchers have long sought to identify methods for challenging terrorist ideologies. The construction and dissemination of counternarratives has begun to receive substantial attention as ...a means of doing so. However, the effectiveness of this approach is contingent on message targets' trust in the counternarrative's content and source. This article draws from literatures on trust and online source credibility to offer preliminary guidelines for cultivating trust in counternarratives and their sources. By encouraging trust in this manner, practitioners can reduce the likelihood that their counternarratives will be dismissed by their intended audiences-a perpetual challenge to strategic messaging geared toward countering violent extremism.
The BIS (behavioural inhibition) and BAS (behavioural approach) motivational systems are thought to influence an individual’s proclivity to engage in risky health behaviours. Using a sample of ...college undergraduates from four universities (
N
=
1014),
Carver and White’s (1994) BIS and BAS subscales (Reward Responsiveness, Drive, and Fun Seeking) were tested against seven health composites including sex, alcohol, drug, and tobacco use, safety, inactivity, and poor diet. Contrary to expectations, Reward Responsiveness (rather than BIS) served as a protective force against engagement in the risky health behaviours. In comparison, the Fun Seeking subscale performed as anticipated, generating strong, positive associations with all but two of the behaviours. The results are discussed in the context of recent theorizing as well as the factor structure of BIS and BAS, given concerns about the latter’s dimensionality.
ABSTRACT
Several theorists have suggested that impulsivity can be understood as a joint function of the behavioral approach (BAS) and behavioral inhibition systems (BIS). After resolving questions ...concerning the measurement of impulsivity and BAS, this study examined the relationships among risky health behaviors, impulsivity, BIS, and BAS. Utilizing a sample of undergraduates (N=904), a structural model was tested in which BAS and BIS predicted impulsivity, which, in turn, predicted risky behavior. Fit indices were acceptable, but not good. A modified version of the model showed a statistically significant negative relationship between BAS and risky behaviors. However, the fit indices were not unequivocally supportive of the need to include that path. Overall, the data suggest that impulsivity is the joint result of countervailing motivational forces and that it partially or fully mediates the influence of BIS and BAS on risky health behavior.
Anti-Government Extremism Bjørgo, Tore; Braddock, Kurt
Perspectives on terrorism (Lowell),
2022, Letnik:
16, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
In recent years, intelligence and security agencies have identified “anti-government extremism” (AGE) as an emerging threat to democracy, political processes, institutions, and elected politicians. ...However, this term is used to refer to a rather wide range of phenomena, movements, ideas and actions, and it is not always clear what exactly makes such manifestations extremist rather than being considered legitimate expressions of political dissent. We hope that this Special Issue of Perspectives on Terrorism will contribute to open a scholarly discussion on these issues and give us a better grasp on this slippery AGE concept and phenomenon.
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