Leaving ideological groups behind: A model of disengagement

Autor: Eyal Gringart, Deirdre Drake, Kira J Harris
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression. 10:91-109
ISSN: 1943-4480
1943-4472
DOI: 10.1080/19434472.2017.1299782
Popis: The social mechanisms in ideological groups work to promote a cohesive social unit and present significant barriers to disengaging. Nonetheless, involvement in these groups is often not a lifelong commitment and many members do leave. The aim of this study was to explore the personal experience of the exiting process from a diverse range of ideological groups, and to construct a theory of disengagement, through 27 in-depth interviews with former members of 1% motorcycle clubs, military special operations forces, cults, white supremacists and fundamental religious or political groups. Participant interviews were analysed using grounded theory methodology to construct a model of disengagement. After the experience of an initial trigger, the group was perceived as inconsistent with the self-concept and conflicted with personally held goals and values, which threatened the participants’ psychological integrity. Participants employed self-concept management strategies to address this inconsistency, whi...
Databáze: OpenAIRE