A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action
Anecdotal evidence supports than engaging with violent extremist content online facilitates the radicalization process. However, there is a consistent lack of empirically grounded research to provide insight into the psychological process through which this influence occurs (if at all). As such, mos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.858392/full |
| _version_ | 1811233416345026560 |
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| author | Neil Shortland Jill Portnoy Presley McGarry Arie Perliger Thomas Gordon Natalie Anastasio |
| author_facet | Neil Shortland Jill Portnoy Presley McGarry Arie Perliger Thomas Gordon Natalie Anastasio |
| author_sort | Neil Shortland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anecdotal evidence supports than engaging with violent extremist content online facilitates the radicalization process. However, there is a consistent lack of empirically grounded research to provide insight into the psychological process through which this influence occurs (if at all). As such, most theories often fail to accommodate both the multifinality (the concept that many people are exposed to violent extremist material, yet never engage in violent extremism), and equifinality (the concept that people can view a range violent extremist content, yet all end up engaging in violent extremism) that naturally is observed in those who engage with violent extremist content online and those who engage in violent extremist behavior. This paper presents Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) as a theoretical framework to inform understanding of the process that governs the interaction between violent extremist material online and engaging with violent extremism. RST is a motivational theory which has been applied to a range of benevolent and deviant behaviors. Specifically, we argue that RST is suitable to explain the effect of violent extremist content online because (1) it outlines multiple differentiated motivational pathways that can account for multifinality and equifinality observed in those who engage in violent extremist behavior and (2) the extant neurological and psychophysiological research using RST provides a empirically supported framework for developing both research methods and verifiable hypotheses to advance our understanding of how, if at all, violent extremist content online contributes to the process of radicalization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:20:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-587c3f34d09745e28fa8ce56d2c0c81f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:20:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-587c3f34d09745e28fa8ce56d2c0c81f2022-12-22T03:35:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-05-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.858392858392A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist ActionNeil ShortlandJill PortnoyPresley McGarryArie PerligerThomas GordonNatalie AnastasioAnecdotal evidence supports than engaging with violent extremist content online facilitates the radicalization process. However, there is a consistent lack of empirically grounded research to provide insight into the psychological process through which this influence occurs (if at all). As such, most theories often fail to accommodate both the multifinality (the concept that many people are exposed to violent extremist material, yet never engage in violent extremism), and equifinality (the concept that people can view a range violent extremist content, yet all end up engaging in violent extremism) that naturally is observed in those who engage with violent extremist content online and those who engage in violent extremist behavior. This paper presents Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) as a theoretical framework to inform understanding of the process that governs the interaction between violent extremist material online and engaging with violent extremism. RST is a motivational theory which has been applied to a range of benevolent and deviant behaviors. Specifically, we argue that RST is suitable to explain the effect of violent extremist content online because (1) it outlines multiple differentiated motivational pathways that can account for multifinality and equifinality observed in those who engage in violent extremist behavior and (2) the extant neurological and psychophysiological research using RST provides a empirically supported framework for developing both research methods and verifiable hypotheses to advance our understanding of how, if at all, violent extremist content online contributes to the process of radicalization.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.858392/fullReinforcement Sensitivity Theoryonline radicalizationphysiologyBIS/BASmedia |
| spellingShingle | Neil Shortland Jill Portnoy Presley McGarry Arie Perliger Thomas Gordon Natalie Anastasio A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action Frontiers in Psychology Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory online radicalization physiology BIS/BAS media |
| title | A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action |
| title_full | A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action |
| title_fullStr | A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action |
| title_short | A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Violent Extremist Propaganda: The Motivational Pathways Underlying Movement Toward and Away From Violent Extremist Action |
| title_sort | reinforcement sensitivity theory of violent extremist propaganda the motivational pathways underlying movement toward and away from violent extremist action |
| topic | Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory online radicalization physiology BIS/BAS media |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.858392/full |
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