Further Examples of Violent Attitudes: The Online Radicalisation

Psycho-social dynamics affecting online radicalisation represent a field of studies currently attracting the main attention of psychological research. In particular, the role played by the Internet in persuading people to join extremist groups, as well as the usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as information tool, can be considered as the most important factors for this complex scenario. The last chapter of the current work will focus on the phenomenon of radicalisation in virtual contexts, exploring the main social dynamics occurring within and between online groups able to affect users’ thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours. Thus, after the presentation of the most up to date online radicalisation models, fundamental social-dynamics, such as the group polarisation and conformism effects, will be analysed, focussing on their manifestation in online radical groups and Web communities. Furthermore, the role that may be played by fundamental online factors, such as the anonymity or the physical isolation, will be taken into account. In particular, it will be analysed how radicalised people may exploit the features of the online environments to be more effective in persuading people to adhere with the radical norms.