Nowadays, the global community is confronted by an acute problem of extremism associated with the growing intolerance, aggression and hostility of modern society. The ways extremism manifests among youth, who is perceptive and sensitive to extremism due to age peculiarities, are understudied. The purpose of the study is to identify psychological characteristics, which are preconditions and elements of extremism among young people. The research methods are theoretical and methodological analysis, survey methods, methods of mathematical and statistical data processing. Illegal behaviour, a propensity to take risks appeared to be the prerequisites for display of extremist elements among full‐time young employees. The research results can be used for scientific and methodologically assurance of psychological and pedagogic support of students, tactics to prevent extremism among young people.