Deradicalized former extremists can directly report what changed their beliefs

Evidence

Applying the psychological autopsy method to the study of radicalization and deradicalization is attractive because although suicide and extremism are distinct (though sometimes overlapping) phenomena, they share important attributes. First, they are both relatively rare events. Second, cases are rarely available to be interviewed because they are dead or, in the case of extremism, because interviewing those who have radicalized presents an assortment of ethical and logistical challenges, as many, if alive, are wary of providing incriminating evidence that can be used in legal proceedings. However, extremism is distinct because we are able to interview persons who have deradicalized; in fact, such individuals can provide compelling details about factors that were influential in that process. This is not directly comparable to interviewing persons who have survived a suicide attempt, but it is similar. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 129

Categorization

• XREF: The whole research program exists to get first-person retrospective reports on deradicalization — exactly the material the reader wants to test a therapeutic hypothesis against. — connects to: Traumatic events prompt extremists to reconsider accepted worldviews. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 40; Exposure to diverse outgroups helped deradicalize former extremists — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 62; Interventions by individual people helped most sampled extremists exit or deradicalize. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 398 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Exposure to diverse outgroups helped deradicalize former extremists #exemplifies (0.85) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 62
• Alternate religious authorities who reframe core texts can trigger cognitive deradicalization. #exemplifies (0.85) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 437
• Interventions by individual people helped most sampled extremists exit or deradicalize. #exemplifies (0.82) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 398
• Encountering hated groups treating one normally dismantles extremists’ stereotypes. #exemplifies (0.80) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 418