University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA.
University of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2022 Apr;37(7-8):NP4865-NP4888. doi: 10.1177/0886260520958645. Epub 2020 Sep 22.
Scholars have extensively discussed the topic of "online radicalization," often seeking to understand the form and function of online extremist material. However, this work has neglected to examine the role that the Internet plays alongside individual personality factors in the process through which someone develops violent extremist cognitions. This article aims to extend the understanding of the role of personality differences in the effect of exposure to extremist material online. In this study, we experimentally measure the short-term psychological consequences of exposure to extremist material on extremist cognitions. We use a between-group experimental design in which participants are shown extremist propaganda with either pre- or post-counter messages. Our results indicate that trait personality, and specifically aggression, may be more influential than exposure to extremist propaganda in influencing extremist cognitions. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of future research directions.
学者们广泛讨论了“网络激进化”这一主题，通常试图了解网络极端主义材料的形式和功能。然而，这项工作忽略了考察互联网在个人个性因素在个体形成暴力极端主义认知过程中的作用。本文旨在扩展对人格差异在网络极端主义材料暴露影响中的作用的理解。在这项研究中，我们通过实验来衡量接触极端主义材料对极端主义认知的短期心理后果。我们使用了一种分组实验设计，参与者观看带有预先或事后反驳信息的极端主义宣传。我们的结果表明，特质人格，特别是攻击性，可能比接触极端主义宣传更能影响极端主义认知。我们在未来的研究方向的背景下讨论了这些结果的意义。
