Phd in SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH

Thesis title: COMSPIRACY BELIEFS AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE: EMPIRICAL APPLICATION OF THE 3N MODEL OF RADICALIZATION

In this work, I analyze conspiracy beliefs-CB and radical political reaction to them (violent protests, riots, and terrorism; see Moskalenko & McCauley, 2009) through the 3N model of radicalization (Kruglanski et al., 2009, 2014; Jasko et al., 2020), that suggest how social psychological determinants such as motivation (need for personal significance), normative influence (social network), and ideology (narrative) lead to radicalization. In two correlational and one experimental study with U.S. online samples, I tested the predictive role of collective narcissism-CN (the quest for one’s ingroup external recognition and a group level of need for significance) on support for radicalism mediation through CB. I also tested the moderation role of network ideological influence-NI on the CB- support for radicalism relationship. Study 1 (N1=547) was conducted with a sample of the general American population. The results supported the moderated mediation model proposed. The positive effect of CN on radicalism was positively mediated by CB. However, the positive effect of CB on support for radicalism was significant only in mean-high levels of NI. Study 2 (N2=574) replicates the evidence emerged in Study 1 in sample of Americans who voted for Trump in 2020 elections. Study 3 (N3=402) aims to test causal relations among the variables by manipulating CN, CB, and NI in a web-based experiment 2×2×2 experimental design through. It emerged that participants in experimental conditions (i.e., high CN high CB) showed significantly higher support for radical political participation, rather than those in any control group indicating a main effect of both on CN and CB on radicalism. However, the interaction CN×CB×NI yielded no significant evidence. These findings will be considered as framed in the psychology of terrorism and political violence, counter-radicalization, and de-radicalization.