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Frounfelker RL, Frissen T, Miconi D, Lawson J, Brennan RT, d'Haenens L, Rousseau C. Transnational evaluation of the Sympathy for Violent Radicalization Scale: Measuring population attitudes toward violent radicalization in two countries. Transcult Psychiatry 2021; 58:669-682. [PMID: 33990162 PMCID: PMC8733345 DOI: 10.1177/13634615211000550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Countering violent radicalization is a priority in many countries, prompting research that assesses attitudes and beliefs about violent radicalization in the general population. The majority of violent radicalization assessments have been developed among specific populations, with limited investigation into the generalizability and cross-cultural applicability of measurement tools. A transcultural investigation raises questions about the implicit assumptions and norms that inform instrument development. This research examined the psychometric properties of the Sympathy for Violent Radicalization Scale (SyfoR), a measure developed for use with Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrant groups in the UK, in two convenience samples of youth and young adults in North America and Western Europe. We investigated the factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of adapted versions of the SyfoR among convenience samples of youth and young adults living in Belgium (N = 2014) and in Quebec, Canada (N = 1364) via online surveys administered to students engaged in secondary and post-secondary education. Results indicate that, in both samples, a reduced, 8-item version of the SyfoR has a 3-factor structure with good model fit statistics using confirmatory factor analysis and good internal consistency reliability. More studies are needed to assess the appropriateness of the SyfoR for use in diverse contexts and among diverse populations. The potential usefulness and harmfulness of measures of violent radicalization should balance the benefits of obtaining local data with the risks associated with pathologizing social dissent.
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De Coninck D, Frissen T, Matthijs K, d’Haenens L, Lits G, Champagne-Poirier O, Carignan ME, David MD, Pignard-Cheynel N, Salerno S, Généreux M. Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation About COVID-19: Comparative Perspectives on the Role of Anxiety, Depression and Exposure to and Trust in Information Sources. Front Psychol 2021; 12:646394. [PMID: 33935904 PMCID: PMC8085263 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While COVID-19 spreads aggressively and rapidly across the globe, many societies have also witnessed the spread of other viral phenomena like misinformation, conspiracy theories, and general mass suspicions about what is really going on. This study investigates how exposure to and trust in information sources, and anxiety and depression, are associated with conspiracy and misinformation beliefs in eight countries/regions (Belgium, Canada, England, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, United States, Switzerland) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in an online survey fielded from May 29, 2020 to June 12, 2020, resulting in a multinational representative sample of 8,806 adult respondents. Results indicate that greater exposure to traditional media (television, radio, newspapers) is associated with lower conspiracy and misinformation beliefs, while exposure to politicians and digital media and personal contacts are associated with greater conspiracy and misinformation beliefs. Exposure to health experts is associated with lower conspiracy beliefs only. Higher feelings of depression are also associated with greater conspiracy and misinformation beliefs. We also found relevant group- and country differences. We discuss the implications of these results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Frissen
- Department of Technology and Society Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Koen Matthijs
- Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Grégoire Lits
- Institut Langage et Communication, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Olivier Champagne-Poirier
- Département de Communication, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Carignan
- Département de Communication, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marc D. David
- Département de Communication, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Melissa Généreux
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Frissen T. Internet, the great radicalizer? Exploring relationships between seeking for online extremist materials and cognitive radicalization in young adults. Computers in Human Behavior 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2020.106549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Frissen T, De Coninck D, Matthys K, d'Haenens L. Longitudinal Evidence of How Media Audiences Differ in Public Health Perceptions and Behaviors During a Global Pandemic. Front Public Health 2020; 8:583408. [PMID: 33344397 PMCID: PMC7738464 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.583408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study investigates how public attitudes and perceptions about the COVID-19 pandemic evolve over time and influence self-reported health behaviors (e. g., social distancing). Specific attention was paid to respondents' exposure to different news media channels (public vs. commercial). We used data from a two-wave panel study with a 3-week interval (W1 at the start and W2 at the peak of the pandemic) and a large sample of the adult population in Flanders, Belgium (n = 870). The results of mixed ANOVAs indicate that besides a time-effect there was also a significant effect of the different types of news media exposure and respondents' support for protective health measures and behaviors. Whereas, perceived vulnerability to disease, feelings of loneliness, and solidarity were mostly determined by respondents' overall frequency of media exposure, support of governmental measures and self-reported health behaviors were mostly determined by the type of news media exposure. Respondents with a predominantly public/quality news media diet had the highest scores on these variables. A stepwise linear regression analysis with individual's change scores demonstrated that (self-)protective behavior was positively determined by respondents' age, solidarity, and the belief that the measures are necessary, but negatively determined by one's cumulative exposure to commercial/tabloid news media. This longitudinal study provides a new perspective on the role of news media in times of a public health crisis. It offers support for (A) the "double bind hypothesis" (i.e., while news media consumption encourages (self-)isolation, it fosters feelings of loneliness); and (B) the "dual effects hypothesis" (i.e., exposure to commercial/tabloid news media generates different outcomes than exposure to public/quality news media). Affective responses and socio-psychological perceptions are influenced by overall news media exposure, whereas support for the government and its handling of the crisis are mainly determined by one's selection of media channels, whereby audiences of public news media evaluate these outcomes more positively than the audiences of commercial news media channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Frissen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Society Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - David De Coninck
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koenraad Matthys
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen d'Haenens
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Frounfelker RL, Frissen T, Vanorio I, Rousseau C, d'Haenens L. Exploring the discrimination–radicalization nexus: empirical evidence from youth and young adults in Belgium. Int J Public Health 2019; 64:897-908. [PMID: 30840091 DOI: 10.1007/s00038-019-01226-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle L Frounfelker
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Thomas Frissen
- Institute for Media Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Cecile Rousseau
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Leen d'Haenens
- Institute for Media Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Frissen T, Toguslu E, Van Ostaeyen P, d'Haenens L. Capitalizing on the Koran to fuel online violent radicalization: A taxonomy of Koranic references in ISIS’s Dabiq. Telematics and Informatics 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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