Extremism and the Psychology of Uncertainty

In the modern world, extremism is a highly topical and rapidly growing field of scholarship and inquiry. Fundamentalist religions and radical political ideologies spread hatred and sponsor terror; cults prey on the vulnerable; pained adolescents wreak havoc on society; ethnic and cultural groups dehumanize others to the point of genocide. Understanding the social conditions and individual psychologies that facilitate these behaviours is one of humanity's greatest challenges. The lack of stability that surrounds us - from economic crises to national conflicts to natural disasters- plays a definite role in promoting extremist behavior. Extremism and the Psychology of Uncertainty presents the most cutting edge scientific research on the relationship between uncertainty and extremism. Contributions from leading scholars in social psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, social neuroscience, political psychology, leadership, and religion offer illuminating insights into the links between these phenomena. Accessible and thought-provoking, Extremism and the Psychology of Uncertainty adds immeasurably to our understanding of the psychology behind a reality of everyday life in the twenty-first century.