Dark and Peculiar

Abstract

Abstract. Earlier research suggested that militant extremists could have certain aspects of psychopathic and psychotic characteristics. Relying on these studies, we investigated whether the Militant Extremist Mind-Set (MEM) could be explained by psychopathy, sadism, and Disintegration (psychosis proneness), as subclinical manifestations of amoral, antisocial, and psychotic-like traits. In Study 1 (306 undergraduate students), it was shown that sadistic and psychopathic tendencies were related to Proviolence (advocating violence as a means for achieving a goal); psychopathic and disintegrative tendencies were associated to the Vile World (belief in a world as a corrupted and vile place), while Disintegration was the best predictor of Divine Power (relying on supernatural forces as a rationale for extremist acts). In Study 2 (147 male convicts), these relations were largely replicated and broadened by including implicit emotional associations to violence in the study design. Thus, while Proviolence was found to be related to a weakened negative emotional reaction to violent pictures, Vile World was found to be associated with stronger negative emotions as a response to violence. Furthermore, Proviolence was the only MEM factor clearly differentiating the sample of convicts from male students who participated in Study 1. Results help extend current understanding about personal characteristics related to militant extremism.

Aggressiveness and ethnic intolerance as factors of extremist behavior

“…According to various literary sources, an extremist's personality in terms of social behavior and interethnic communication is characterized by an increase in aggressive reactions (which are manifested in various types of aggression) against the background of low individualpersonal and socio-ethnic tolerance [19,20,21,22,23,24].…”

Mračna Tetrada i nepovoljni sredinski uslovi kao facilitatori konzumacije psihoaktivnih supstanci

“…uverenjima koja predstavljaju osnovu ideološki motivisanog nasilja kao što su stavovi karakteristični za militantne ekstremiste (Međedović & Knežević, 2019).…”

Mentalities and mind-sets: The skeleton of relative stability in psychology’s closet

“…A promising line of inquiry is the investigation of the extremist mindset. Međedović & Knežević (2019) claim psychopathology inspired research amongst militants and terrorists has yielded mixed empirical results. The issue has been noted since Arendt's (1963) landmark analysis of Eichmann's trial in Jerusalem, convicted and executed for war crimes perpetrated during his tenure as a Nazi officer.…”

“…According to Arendt, Eichmann was no deranged psychopath, but "terribly and terrifyingly normal" (p. 276). Međedović & Knežević (2019) investigated the role played by certain personality traits in an effort to identify a constellation marking the militant extremist personality (p. 92). The trait constellation in question is Disintegration, defined as "a proneness to see and feel connections among factually unrelated phenomena" (p. 93).…”

“…Crucially, in the present case, the authors proffer a situational explanation for militant extremism that is neither construed in terms of a Editorial 422 characteristic trait constellation marking the extremist personality type, nor in substantive ideological terms typifying certain beliefs as radical or extremist. Međedović & Knežević (2019) go on to claim that "In a context where everyone is using others for their own purposes, it becomes justifiable to employ the same strategies in order to change the state of affairs" (p. 100). In other words, in certain situations militant terrorism, terrifying as it may be, is justifiably normal.…”