Self-esteem needs predict extremism only through collective, not personal, mechanisms

Evidence

Overall, there is some support for a putative risk effect of the need for self-esteem on violent extremism, but only when it operates at a collective level: individuals who believed that others view their social group not as prestigious and who had experienced discrimination were more likely to be sympathetic of violent extremism or to have violent extremist intentions. However, this effect does not seem to be robust, as the majority of studies did not find a link between the need for self-esteem on violent extremist attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. — Lea Echelmeyer, Anne-Marie Slotboom, and Frank Weerman, The Putative Effect of Identity on…, 240

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The most powerful radicalization pathways combine personal psychological vulnerabilities with perceived community victimization. — 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:…, 156; perceived disrespect and loss of significance drive extremism more than poverty does — 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:…, 157; Uncertainty alone does not cause violent extremism without moderating factors — Lea Echelmeyer, Anne-Marie Slotboom, and Frank Weerman, The Putative Effect of Identity on…, 231 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Individual and collective self-esteem predict threat perception in opposite directions. #qualifies (0.78) — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 15