Extremism and the Psychology of Uncertainty

Michael A. Hogg is Professor of Social Psychology at Claremont Graduate University. Danielle L. Blaylock is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Queen's University, Belfast, and the University of St Andrew's.

• Notes on Contributors viiPreface: From Uncertainty to Extremism xvMichael A. Hogg and Danielle L. BlaylockPart I: Theories and Concepts 11 The Need for Certainty as a Psychological Nexus for Individuals and Society 3Arie W. Kruglanski and Edward Orehek2 Self-Uncertainty, Social Identity, and the Solace of Extremism 19Michael A. Hogg3 Extremism is Normal: The Roles of Deviance and Uncertainty in Shaping Groups and Society 36Dominic Abrams4 The Psychology of the Absurd: How Existentialists Addressed (and Succumbed to) Extremist Beliefs 55Travis Proulx5 Radical Worldview Defense in Reaction to Personal Uncertainty 71Kees van den Bos and Annemarie Loseman6 The Uncertainty-Threat Model of Political Conservatism 90John T. Jost and Jaime L. NapierPart II: Individuals and Groups 1137 Dying to Be Popular: A Purposive Explanation of Adolescent Willingness to Endure Harm 115Jason T. Siegel, William D. Crano, Eusebio M. Alvaro, Andrew Lac, David Rast, and Vanessa Kettering8 The Extremism of Everyday Life: Fetishism as a Defense against Existential Uncertainty 131Mark J. Landau, Zachary K. Rothschild, and Daniel Sullivan9 Religious Zeal after Goal Frustration 147Ian McGregor, Kyle A. Nash, and Mike Prentice10 Dehumanization, Demonization, and Morality Shifting: Paths to Moral Certainty in Extremist Violence 165Roger Giner-Sorolla, Bernhard Leidner, and Emanuele Castano11 Light from Dark: Uncertainty and Extreme Positive Acts Toward the “Other” 183Todd L. PittinskyPart III: Groups and Society 19512 Uncertainty, Insecurity, and Ideological Defense of the Status Quo: The Extremitizing Role of Political Expertise 197Christopher M. Federico and Grace M. Deason13 Authoritarianism, Need for Closure, and Conditions of Threat 212Jennifer L. Merolla, Jennifer M. Ramos, and Elizabeth J. Zechmeister14 Constructing Extremism: Uncertainty Provocation and Reduction by Extremist Leaders 228Viviane Seyranian15 Collective Uncertainty and Extremism: A Further Discussion on the Collective Roots of Subjective Experience 246Fathali M. Moghaddam and Karen Love16 Uncertainty, and the Roots and Prevention of Genocide and Terrorism 263Ervin StaubIndex 281