Crying Havoc: The Use of Narrative Subtext to Promote Radicalization, Hate, and Violence

• In Event: Words Matter: Examining Communication-based Strategies That Facilitate and Counter Radicalization

Abstract

Before thousands of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol Building, President Trump told the crowd that he had won the election “by a landslide” and they needed to “fight like hell” to preserve the country’s democratic integrity. These statements were strategically crafted to avoid the overt direction of violence but have nonetheless been implicated in its incitement. The legal implications of Trump’s inflammatory narratives have been the subject of extensive analysis. However, there has been no empirical consideration of whether and how the use of violent subtext within narratives motivates violent beliefs, attitudes, or behavior. Using a reasoned action framework and 3 x 3 experimental design, this study demonstrates that Trump’s implicit advocacy of violent behavior shaped supporters’ (a) attitudes about the use of violence, (b) perceived norms regarding the use of violence, and (c) perceived ability to effectively engage in violence. Consequentially, intentions to engage in violence were increased. Results, therefore, suggest that narratives in support of political violence from public-facing, right-wing politicians can motivate manifest violence, even if those narratives are not supplemented by explicit directives.

Author

• Kurt Braddock, American University