The Role of Extremist Online Narratives in Fostering Radicalization

• In Event: Right-Wing Pressure on Minority Civil Liberties - Sponsored by the Division of International Criminology

Abstract

This presentation examines the role of extremist narratives, focusing on conspiracy theories like QAnon, in fostering radicalization and violent political intentions. Narratives are powerful tools that shape beliefs, create shared realities, and motivate extreme actions by fulfilling psychological needs for significance and belonging. Experimental research reveals that even brief exposure to conspiracy theories increases non-normative, violent political intentions, particularly among individuals predisposed to believing such narratives. The QAnon conspiracy theories, which allege a Satan-worshipping cabal controls governments and harms children, illustrate how moral outrage and dehumanization are weaponized to justify radical political actions. The presentation will explore the intersection of social networks, psychological predispositions, and narrative power in amplifying radicalization. It will also discuss the implications of these findings for understanding how digital spaces facilitate the spread of conspiratorial content and reinforce group cohesion around extremist ideologies. The psychological mechanisms underpinning radicalization through narratives suggest global implications for conspiratorial beliefs, and highlight potential strategies for mitigating their impact. This points to the urgent need for interdisciplinary approaches to counter the influence of radicalizing narratives in an increasingly interconnected and polarized world.

Author

• Sophia Moskalenko, Georgia State University