Friction

How radicalization happens to them and us

Clark McCauley Ph.D., Sophia Moskalenko Ph.D.

Political Psychology of "The Matrix Resurrections"

Does the new "Matrix" movie offer social commentary? Inevitably. And the science checks out.

A masked, hooded figure holds up a burning newspaper

The Four Horsemen of Fake News

How does fake news go from obscure to viral and radicalizing? Four distinct stages of its spread can help guide efforts to counter it.

The Police Have a Radicalization Problem

Is it a few bad apples or a systemic problem? New data suggest radicalization among police members requires urgent attention.

What Radicalizes "Zip-Tie Men?"

What radicalized two very different men to storm the Capitol Hill with zip-tie handcuffs at the ready? The answer may have more to do with biology than ideology.

How Much Should We Rely on 2020 Election Polls?

Can election polls be bad for democracy? Research on social loafing signals danger in relying on polling data too much.

What Do a Red Triangle, 14 Words, and 88 Ads Have in Common?

Symbols can seem silly, but they wield immense radicalizing potential.

Nobody Said George Floyd Was a Martyr or a Hero

Why do Glenn Beck, Candace Owens, and President Trump fight a straw man?

Horrific Images of Refugees Likely Won't Change U.S. Policy

The photo of the drowned father and daughter, refugees from El Salvador who tried to cross into the US may not shift public opinion or policy, and here's why.

How Could President Trump Have Inspired the NZ Shooter?

Forget about sticks and stones: The words of leaders are far more dangerous.

"Build That Wall!"–The Radicalizing Power of Slogans

What makes some slogans powerful political tools? Hint: it's not how much sense they make.

Why Americans Fell for Russian Internet Trolls

Why did Americans fall for the Russian social media propaganda nine times more than Europeans did?

Mass Radicalization in the USA

As divisions among Americans deepen, understanding and addressing mass radicalization becomes crucial.

Powerful Men's Sexual Misconduct

The latest powerful man caused of sexual misconduct is a SCOTUS nominee. Here's one way to process this.

Why Social Media Makes Us Angrier—and More Extreme

Captain America before and after the transformation? That's your opinion before and after you discuss it on social media.

The Faulty Science of Patriarchy

Are women biologically different then men? Heck yeah! But what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Jihadist Islamism Cannot Explain the San Bernardino Attacks

"How to beat this enemy" is mostly wrong.

What to Do About ISIS?

Iraq and Syria cannot be restored as centralized states. What's next?

Why Did ISIS Do It?

ISIS has a strategy. Our reaction to Paris is part of it.

Pygmalion Rises From the Dead

Pygmalion in the classroom is cheating.

Christopher Harper-Mercer fits the profile

Could we have predicted violence from Christopher Harper-Mercer?

Is Zale Thompson A Lone-Wolf Terrorist?

Does Zale Thompson fit the Disconnected/Disordered profile?

Ottawa Parliament Shooter Michael Zehaf-Bibeau

An Islamic State terrorist or an individual pursued by his own demons?

Aaron Alexis: Disconnected and Disordered

Aaron Alexis has characteristics common to U.S. school attackers and assassins.

Making Mad Men Pay

"Friction" Mechanisms at Work: More about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Mechanisms of radicalization in the experience of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: "Jahar's World" interpreted

Radical Imams Shaped by Radical Muslims

Imams radicalized by their audiences

Radicalization of Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Psychology of radicalization.

How to Turn Islamist Militants into AQ Terrorists

Many Islamists, including especially former militant Islamists, are trying democracy instead of violence. Now is not the time to get in their way.

Mohamed Merah: Jujitsu Politics in France

Mohamed Merah killed seven French citizens, including soldiers and Jewish children. Was Merah a lone wolf or was he connected with al-Qaeda?

Making Mad Men Pay

Jujitsu politics in advertising.

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