Motivational imbalance: the association between psychological need for belonging and violent extremist intentions – A meta-analysis

Absztrakt (kivonat)

Violent extremism remains as one of the most serious internationally recognized crimes catapulting to the top of nations’ agendas as it fuels terror and impedes peace and stability. Given the controversy over its root causes, my purpose in the present meta-analysis was to put the Motivational Imbalance Theory (MIT) – a psychological model on the causal mechanism of violent extremism into test. MIT puts forward the individuals’ psychological need for belonging as the dominant cause of violent extremism. I asked (1) is there an association between individuals’ need for belonging and violent extremist intentions? and (2) does the association between need for belonging and violent extremist intentions differ due to their different operationalizations? Random-effects meta-analyses based on 13 empirical studies found the presence of a weak association between need for belonging and violent extremist intentions. Additionally, it determined that the association varies across the different operationalizations of need for belonging and violent extremist intentions. I discuss these findings along with limitations, policy implications, and direct future research aiming to improve the theory’s predictive power.