Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-28-2019
Publication Title
Journal for Deradicalization
Volume
19
First page number:
122
Last page number:
146
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that empathy induced by narrative messages can effectively facilitate persuasion and reduce psychological reactance. Although limited, emerging research on the etiology of radical political behavior has begun to explore the role of narratives in shaping an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and intentions that culminate in radicalization. The existing studies focus exclusively on the influence of narrative persuasion on an individual, but they overlook the necessity of empathy and that in the absence of empathy, persuasion is not salient. We argue that terrorist organizations are strategic in cultivating empathetic-persuasive messages using audiovisual materials, and disseminating their message within the digital medium. Therefore, in this paper we propose a theoretical model and analytical framework capable of helping us better understand the neurocognitive process of digital radicalization.
Keywords
Online radicalization; Digital terrorism; Strategic narratives; Propaganda; Messaging
Disciplines
Communication | Psychology | Terrorism Studies
File Format
File Size
565 KB
Language
English
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Repository Citation
Howard, T.,
Poston, B.,
Benning, S. D.
(2019).
The Neurocognitive Process of Digital Radicalization: A Theoretical Model and Analytical Framework.
Journal for Deradicalization, 19
122-146.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/political_science_articles/200