The Psychology of Extremism: A Motivational Perspective

Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Contents
List of Contributors
The Psychology of Extremism
	Extremism as a Motivational Construct
		Balance and Moderation
		Imbalance and Extremism
	Consequences of Motivational Imbalance
	The Present Volume: Motivational Imbalance Across Domains and Levels of Analysis
		Part 1: Motivational Imbalance at Different Levels of Analysis
		Part 2: Motivational Imbalance Across Domains of Human Endeavor
Part 1 Motivational Imbalance at Different Levels of Analysis
	1 Incentive Salience in Irrational Miswanting and Extreme Motivation
		Introduction
		Reward Utilities and ‘Wanting’
		Attribution of Incentive Salience
		‘Irrational Miswanting’ and ‘Dangerous Desire’
		Conclusion and Implications in Extreme Aggression
	2 Attitudinal Extremism
		Developing a Model of Attitudinal Extremism
		Candidates for Inclusion in a Model of Attitudinal Extremism
			Conceptualizing Extremism: Motivational and Attitudinal Imbalance
		Properties of Attitudes That Increase Attributions of Extremism
		Processes That Produce Polarized, Confident, and Unusual Attitudes
			Determinants of Attitude Polarization
		Information Exposure and Processing
		Mere Thought
		Metacognitive Validation
		Normative Influence
			Determinants of Attitude Certainty
			Determinants of Attitude Unusualness
		Properties of Attitudes That Predict Extreme Behavior
		Threat as a Moderator of Compensation Effects
		Conclusions
	3 On Extreme Behavior and Outcomes: The Role of Harmonious and Obsessive Passion
		A Dualistic Model of Passion
			On the Concept of Passion
			On Harmonious and Obsessive Passion
			Research Methods on Passion
		Passion and Extreme Behavior
			Passion and Extreme Interpersonal Behavior
			Passion and Extreme Intrapersonal Behavior
		Determinants of Harmonious and Obsessive Passion
		Conclusions
	4 The Extreme Group
		The Present Chapter
		Quest for Significance
			Activating the Quest for Significance: Significance Loss
			Activating the Quest for Significance: Significance Gain
			Desire to Reduce Uncertainty
			Sacrifice and Identity Fusion
			Charismatic and Other Extreme Groups
		Narratives
			Narratives and Moral Disengagement
			Narratives and Group Socialization
			Creating a Narrative
		Networks
			Group Socialization
			Group Development
		Conclusion
	5 Masters of Both: Balancing the Extremes of Innovation Through Tight–Loose Ambidexterity
		Exploration and Exploitation: Understanding the Extremes of Innovation
		Cultural Tightness–Looseness
		Exploring Looseness, Exploiting Tightness
		The Goldilocks Principle of Innovation
			Methods
			Results
		Discussion
		Funding
	6 The Evolution of Extremism
		How Might Extremism Have Evolved?
		What Function Might Extremism Serve?
		Is Extremism Unique to Humans?
		How Does Morality Attenuate and Exacerbate Extremism?
		Implications and Conclusions
Part 2 Motivational Imbalance Across Domains of Human Endeavor
	7 The Psychology of Extreme Sports
		Introduction
		Traditional Perspectives on the Psychology of Extreme Sports
			Sensation Seeking
			Edgework
			Reversal Theory
			Other Psychological Theories Employing the Risk Narrative
		Beyond the Risk-Taking Narrative
		Positive Psychology Perspectives
			Flow and Peak Experience
			Extraordinary and Transcendent Experiences
	8 The Psychology of Greed
		Introduction to Greed Narratives
		What Is Greed and Why Is It Extreme?
		History of Greed
		Greed in the Social Sciences
		Multilevel Model of Greed as Extremism
		Mitigating the Problem
	9 Moral, Extreme, and Positive: What Are the Key Issues for the Study of the Morally Exceptional?
		The Promise of Studying the Morally Exceptional
		Do Morally Exceptional People Exist?
		Theoretical, Philosophical, and Theological Accounts of the Morally Exceptional
			What Features Are Relevant to Qualifying as Morally Exceptional?
			The Desirability and Motivational Balance of the Morally Exceptional
			The Role of the Morally Exceptional in Defining and Founding the Virtues
		Empirical Findings: Why Are Some People Extremely Moral?
			The Role of Social Structures
			Proximate Situational Causes
			Developmental History
			Personality Traits
			Moral Reasoning
			Identity as Motivation
			Summary of Empirical Findings: Ordinary People With a Deep Concern for Others
		What Is Not Known
		Three Difficulties for the Study of the Morally Exceptional and Strategies for Addressing Them
			Difficulty 1: What Counts as ‘Moral’ and What Counts as ‘Morally Good’?
			Difficulty 2: What Counts as Exceptional?
			Difficulty 3: What Will Be Added to the Study of Morality by Studying the Morally Exceptional in Particular?
		Conclusion
		Acknowledgments
	10 The Social Psychology of Violent Extremism
		Introduction
		Perceived Efficacy of Violence
		Feeling Noticed and Agentic
		Ingroup Identification
		Culturally Approved Violence
		Violence as a Clear Response
		Relative Deprivation and Inequality
		The 3N Framework: Need, Narrative, and Networks
			Needs
			Narrative
			Network
		Conclusion
	11 Motivational Imbalance in Jihadi Online Recruitment
		Introduction
		Online Recruitment
		The Notion of Motivational Imbalance
		‘Narrowcasting’
		Using Motivational Imbalance in Jihadi Campaigns
			The Appeals Used
			Evidence from Recruits
		Conclusions
Index