A Psychologist Reveals What’s Really Going On In The Mind Of A Political Extremist

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, chances are you have strong opinions that are important to you. You may also feel a sense of loyalty and devotion to your political group, whether it’s a party, a movement, or a leader.

Politics has always been divisive, but with the advent of social media, things seem to be getting worse.

In fact, a study conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that more than 50% of American adults rely on social media for news, which is notorious for creating echo chambers and spreading harmful misinformation. Interestingly, research has shown that those who believe they cannot be fooled by misinformation are actually the most susceptible to it.

This sets the stage for a society where truth, facts, and objective reality are all subjective and open to interpretation.

Now, let’s examine the rise of right-wing populism around the world. Germany is currently experiencing a neo-Nazi resurgence, Spain’s far-right political party Vox is at odds with the LGBTQ community, and France’s National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen, is gaining popularity with its anti-immigration stance. The United States is also caught in a polarized society, with a significant number of Trump supporters remaining loyal to their beliefs.

Given this context, there are two crucial questions every engaged citizen should ask themselves:

1. Have the notions of “my truth” and “your truth” irreversibly damaged our ability to be objective in our political leanings?
2. Is it possible for a society to coexist with polarized views on political issues?

Unfortunately, there are no simple answers to these questions. However, there is one vital piece of information that can help us understand why political extremists continue to believe in wild theories despite contradictory evidence. It has to do, at least partially, with the need for a sense of belonging.

Virtue Signaling as an Explanation for the Spread of Misinformation Among Political Extremists

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General explored the response of conservative individuals in Spain and the United States to misinformation that aligns with their political values through a series of three experiments.

In the first experiment, conservative individuals from Spain, who were either far-right or center-right, were shown various social media posts criticizing the liberal government. These posts were designed to appeal to either their sacred values or non-sacred values.

Sacred values refer to moral imperatives that people are unwilling to compromise on, while non-sacred values can be weighed against other values and are subject to negotiation or trade-offs.

The experiment revealed that despite fact-checks and accuracy nudges similar to those used on popular social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, far-right individuals were more likely than center-right individuals to share blatant misinformation. This was especially true if the post resonated with their sacred values and if their personal identity was closely tied to their political ideology.

In the second experiment, the researchers replicated the social media experiment in the United States, focusing on Trump-supporting Republicans. They found similar results, with Republicans who voted for Trump and identified as Trump supporters being undeterred by fact-checks and still willing to share misinformation.

This tells us that social media fact-checks or flagging of “fake news” may not be sufficient in preventing the spread of misinformation, particularly when it aligns with extremist agendas.

To understand the brain activity of political extremists when exposed to misinformation, the researchers conducted a third experiment involving 36 participants from Spain who supported the far-right political party Vox. The same procedure as the previous two experiments was repeated, but this time the participants’ brain activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as they decided whether to share the social media post.

The experiment revealed that certain areas of the brain associated with social identity and emotional understanding were more active in these individuals when they considered sharing the post. These areas included the bilateral inferior frontal cortex and the precuneus, which play a role in social group affiliation, understanding others’ emotions, and responding to social cues appropriately.

In simple terms, when the far-right shares misinformation, they do so as a means of signaling to fellow extremists that they belong to the same social and political group. This need for virtue signaling is particularly strong when the misinformation is linked to values that the far-right considers sacred, such as immigration, religion, or nationalism.

Conclusion

Understanding the emotional and societal factors driving the spread of misinformation is crucial. It’s not just about debunking false information; it also involves addressing extremists’ need for social belonging and affirmation of their identity. In a world where “my truth” and “your truth” dominate, fostering critical media literacy and open dialogue can bridge the divide and potentially liberate us from the confines of our beliefs.

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