Isenhardt A, Kamenowski M, Manzoni P, Haymoz S, Jacot C, Baier D. Identity Diffusion and Extremist Attitudes in Adolescence.
Front Psychol 2021;
12:711466. [PMID:
34650477 PMCID:
PMC8505980 DOI:
10.3389/fpsyg.2021.711466]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Various theoretical approaches assume that identity diffusion is an influencing factor of extremism. However, there are hardly any empirical tests on this relationship. Based on a nationwide survey of 8,317 young people in Switzerland, the study analyses whether identity diffusion is associated with right-wing extremist, left-wing extremist, and Islamist extremist attitudes. In addition, the study tests whether identity diffusion mediates the influence of family and school-related variables on extremist attitudes. The results show that identity diffusion primarily increases approval of left-wing extremist and Islamist extremist attitudes. Furthermore, identity diffusion mediates to a small extent the influence of parenting on extremist attitudes.
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