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Quest for Significance and Group-based Control as Possible Motivations Underlying Radicalization into Violence? Difficulties in Demonstrating Loss of Significance Effects on Radicalization in Three Experiments

Fabian Hess, University of Leipzig; Elisa Merkenschlager, University of Leipzig, Immo Fritsche, University of Leipzig

"Significance-quest theory" (Kruglanski et al., 2009/2022) assumes that a salient Loss of Significance (LoS) should increase the motivation for radical attitudes and behavior such as the willingness to self-sacrifice (Dugas et al., 2016) or the support for violent means (Bélanger et al., 2019). Given the conceptual breadth of the LoS construct, we were interested in testing the role of control motivation in LoS effects in different contexts of group-based radicalization. Specifically, as a possible alternative explanation of LoS effects, we expect that threat to personal control increases conformity with (pro-radical) ingroup norms (Barth et al., 2018). In a first experimental study (n 363), we therefore tested if effects of a salient LoS on approval of ingroup-normative radicalism are reduced by the salience of high (vs. neutral) personal control. Surprisingly, the salience of LoS did not increase the willingness to self-sacrifice, although salient personal control reduced the motivation for a collective protest and salient LoS reduced (instead of increased) motivation for illegal means of protest. Due to these inconsistencies, we tried to replicate previous (mostly indirect) effects of manipulated LoS on radicalization in a second experiment (n 296). However, we did not find any significant LoS effect neither on radicalization, nor on possible mediating variables such as need for closure. Based on our consideration that LoS effects on increased radicalization could be dependent on salient pro-radical ingroup norms, we experimentally manipulated the salience of LoS and of pro- (vs. anti-)radical norms in a third study (n 392). But again, only pro-radical norm salience increased radicalization, not salient LoS or the interaction of both factors. On the ground of these results and the fact that most of the past LoS experiments reported only indirect, but no total, LoS effects on radicalization, we will discuss whether and when LoS effects might be detectable.

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