Systematic review: Risk factors and mechanisms of radicalization in lone-actor grievance-fueled violence

Ebbrecht, Christopher Kehlet

doi:10.1080/19012276.2022.2074524

Cited by 10 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 115 publications

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“…A recent systematic review of 78 studies identified nine risk factors for lone-wolf attacks, under which they classify violent incels [59]. These nine are (i) sociodemographic characteristics, (ii) social ties, (iii) interpersonal rejection, (iv) mental illness, (v) subclinical personality traits, (vi) strain, (vii) grievances, (viii) emotional traits/states, and (ix) cognitive processes.…”

Section: Why Do Some Incels Commit Violence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Involuntary Celibacy: A Review of Incel Ideology and Experiences with Dating, Rejection, and Associated Mental Health and Emotional Sequelae

Sparks

Zidenberg

Olver

2022

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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Purpose of Review Incels (involuntary celibates) have recently garnered media attention for seemingly random attacks of violence. Much attention has centered around the misogynistic and violent discourse that has taken place in online incel forums as well as manifestos written by incels who have perpetrated deadly attacks. Such work overlooks the experiences and issues faced by incels themselves, the majority of which have not engaged in any violent behavior. Recent Findings A small number of studies have recruited incels. Results from these studies highlight the nuanced nature of the incel identity. It is also apparent that incels suffer from high levels of romantic rejection and a greater degree of depressive and anxious symptoms, insecure attachment, fear of being single, and loneliness. Summary Incels report significant issues pertaining to their mental, social, and relational well-being and may seek support from forums that often feature misogynistic and violent content.

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Section: Why Do Some Incels Commit Violence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Involuntary Celibacy: A Review of Incel Ideology and Experiences with Dating, Rejection, and Associated Mental Health and Emotional Sequelae

Sparks

Zidenberg

Olver

2022

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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“…Online radicalization processes have been of major concern, not only in the area of terrorism, but in the wider field of grievance-based violence. In fact, recent work has introduced a comparative approach that builds on the commonalities between perpetrators of, for example, high school shootings, hate crimes, and terrorist attacks ( Brooks and Shaw, 2022 ; Clemmow et al, 2022 ; Ebbrecht, 2022 ). In particular for offenders deemed to be lone actors, the boundaries between terrorism and other forms of offending are blurred ( Capellan, 2015 ; Kenyon et al, 2021a ; Clemmow et al, 2022 ).…”

Section: Online Radicalization As a Cause For Common Concernmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrorism and the internet: How dangerous is online radicalization?

Binder

Kenyon

2022

Front. Psychol.

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This work is concerned with the extent and magnitude of threat related to online radicalization in the context of terrorist acts and related offending. Online influences have been depicted as major drivers for the propagation and adoption of extremist ideologies, which often contain an element of collective grievance, and subsequent acts of violence. This is most pronounced in the discussion of so-called lone actor terrorism, but extends to all forms of extremist offending, and beyond. The present work situates online radicalization leading to terrorist acts within the wider context of grievance-based beliefs and attitudes. Further, it addresses current positions and debates surrounding the relevance and mechanisms of online radicalization in terrorist offending. Recent evidence from quantitative studies is reviewed to estimate prevalence of online radicalization and the level of threat that results from it. This is followed by a discussion of plausible, but opposing, interpretations of the estimates presented. While online radicalization does occur, with and without reference to offline processes, the resulting threat is not overly high. This assessment, however, refers to the present only and is unlikely to hold for the future, given the general growth and acceleration of online activity among terrorist actors.

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“…LAGFV serves as an umbrella term to conceptualize this broad cohort of offending, with grievance and/or fixation considered universal contributors to lone actor violence. Although this terminology could also be represented as Lone Actor Grievance and Fixated Fueled Violence (LAGFFV), for the purpose of consistency with prior research ( Pathé et al, 2018 ; Barry-Walsh et al, 2020 ; Brooks and Shaw, 2022 ; Clemmow et al, 2022 ; Ebbrecht, 2022 ), the present review will refer to this offending as LAGFV which is considered to encompass the role of fixation. LAGFV at this juncture is a blurry construct without definitive rules and boundaries, and instead provides a guiding conceptualization of a diverse group of offenders who commit targeted violence towards others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the role of grievance and fixation in lone actor violence

Brooks

Barry-Walsh²

2022

Front. Psychol.

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In pursuit of public discourse, there is a risk of a simple polarity in thinking, meaning acts of public/mass violence, or those where there is a risk of public violence are categorized as terrorist acts or not. The reliance on categorization, and the pursuit of assigning ideology, diminishes the complexity of factors contributing to these forms of offending. This approach misses a critical opportunity to understand the pathways to violence and reduces the significance of comorbid or co-occurring factors that give rise to the violence. Lone Actor Grievance Fueled Violence (LAGFV) is a recently utilized term based on mounting evidence that those who seek to perpetrate acts of lone actor violence, whether this be those where a terrorist motivation can be assigned, a school attacks, workplace attack, or an attack in a public place, are commonly fueled by grievance and fixation. LAGFV at this juncture is a blurry construct without definitive rules and boundaries, and instead provides a guiding conceptualization of a diverse group of offenders who commit targeted violence towards others. The current review contends that LAGFV emerges through the perceived thwarting of psychological needs and the central task for clinicians and other professional services lies in understanding the unique pathways and contributing factors that give rise to violence for each specific individual/case. The review contends that is not fit to determine whether an act is of ideological significance, or constituting terrorism, without understanding the psychosocial and circumstantial factors contributing to the violence.

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Systematic review: Risk factors and mechanisms of radicalization in lone-actor grievance-fueled violence

Cited by 10 publications

References 115 publications

Involuntary Celibacy: A Review of Incel Ideology and Experiences with Dating, Rejection, and Associated Mental Health and Emotional Sequelae

Involuntary Celibacy: A Review of Incel Ideology and Experiences with Dating, Rejection, and Associated Mental Health and Emotional Sequelae

Terrorism and the internet: How dangerous is online radicalization?

Understanding the role of grievance and fixation in lone actor violence

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