Socio-psychological predictors of the formation of extremist attitudes among young people

Context and relevance. The personality of an extremist is shaped by cultural and historical factors. The current understanding of these concepts reflects past circumstances that have evolved, the present situation, and individual characteristics. This study is based on the theory of interinstitutional conditioning of individual extremist activities. Objective: to monitor the current socio-psychological state of young people in the North Caucasus, in order to compare the current state and the factors that contribute to the formation of extremist ideas. Hypothesis. Individuals who are at risk of being influenced by extremist ideas are characterized by increased personal anxiety, an average or below-average level of identity development, the acceptance of using aggression to achieve goals, a perception of the outside world as threatening, and non-adaptive ways of expressing discontent and conformity. Methods and materials. The study involved 35 young people from the North Caucasus region (16 girls and 19 boys). The following tools were used to monitor the current socio-psychological state: a socio-demographic questionnaire, the D.G. Davydov and K.D. Khlomov method for diagnosing violent extremism dispositions, the method for studying social identity (MSSI), the Shihan self-assessment anxiety scale, and the SPRAS. Results. The hypothesis was partially confirmed: the risk of being influenced by extremist ideas is higher for those whose level of identity is below optimal, and the use of aggression to achieve goals and non-adaptive ways to express discontent is acceptable, while the external world is perceived as threatening. Conclusions. The data we have obtained can serve as a starting point for developing more effective and in-depth research programs on this topic and require further study on a larger sample size.