Article 3a: The Cycle Of Violence: Understanding Individual participation in collective violence (Littman & Paluck, 2015)

Question 1

The cycle of an individual’s participation in collective violence

Answer 1

In violent groups, group identification motivates violent behaviour and violent behaviour increases identification with the group in 2 ways:
- More group identification –> more adherence to group goals –> more violence.
- Violent behaviour –> increased group cohesion –> more group identification –> more violence.

Question 2

Outcome vs. action aversion

Answer 2

• Outcome aversion: experiencing distress form consideration of the negative outcomes of violence.
• Action aversion: experiencing distress form simply performing a harmful action (even without consideration of the outcome).

Question 3

Group identification

Answer 3

The extent to which people view themselves as part of a group and derive their identity form their group membership. Strong group identification can drive individuals to conform and align with violent group norms.

Question 4

Processes by which violence causes more violence

Answer 4

• Desensitisation
• Changed perception of violence
• Moral disengagement
• Dissonance reduction

Question 5

Desensitisation

Answer 5

Reduced emotional response and sensitivity towards violence, leading to decreased arousal, intervention tendencies, and sympathy for victims.

Question 6

Changed perception of violence

Answer 6

Exposure to violence can change an individual’s perception of what constitutes to aggression, leading to more aggressive behaviour in daily life.

Example: exposure to violent media can alter a person’s expectations of hostility, motivating a more aggressive response.

Question 7

Moral disengagement

Answer 7

Portraying the outgroup as violent to provide moral reasons for violence. Or by excluding the outgroup form moral norms (dehumanisation).

Question 8

Dissonance reduction

Answer 8

Reducing the psychological distress that follows after violence.

Example: killing is counterintuitive and must therefore be justified by reducing dissonance. This causes continuation of the killing, because otherwise people have to admit that the act was wrong in the first place.

Question 9

How violent groups reduce obstacles to violent behaviour

Answer 9

• By making violence normative: in violent groups, violence is seen as typical and desirable which creates a social environment in which violence is expected and rewarded.
• By increased psychological distance: for example by more spatial distance (shooting from afar) or by dehumanisation (increased social distance to the victim).
• Providing drugs and alcohol: can alter focus, reduce self-regulation and allow people to blame the violence on their substance use (but still see themselves as moral individuals).