Ambivalence involves holding mixed feelings towards things rather than not caring. The rise in extremist behaviors among everyday American citizens has sparked interest among psychologists. Public opinion surveys show an increase in support for extreme actions, with a quarter of American voters endorsing violence for their beliefs. The focus is on understanding if all individuals with extreme beliefs are inclined towards violent actions or if there is a specific subset more prone to such behavior.
Psychologists usually expect ambivalence to be a driver of political apathy. But a new study appears to show a link between ambivalence in our views and the likelihood that we’ll support extremist actions. Madeleine Finlay speaks to the study’s co-author Richard Petty, professor of psychology at Ohio State University, to find out what pushes people to take extreme actions, how politics could be driving this behaviour and how it could be combated. Help support our independent journalism at
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