Perceptions of people radicalised online: Examining the victim‐perpetrator nexus

Abstract

Purpose

This study explored the victim-perpetrator nexus in the context of cognitive online radicalisation. Specifically, we examined if a person’s age and whether they were exposed to extremist content/users incidentally or following active search shape perceptions of victimhood. We further assessed whether and how perceptions of victimhood shape support for distinct criminal justice responses.

Methods

We conducted a pre-registered two-factorial (age: young person, adult x exposure type: active selection, incidental exposure) between-subjects online experiment (N = 383), employing vignettes that depicted four scenarios of cognitive online radicalisation.

Results

The process by which a person was exposed to extremist materials/settings online had no significant effect on perceptions of victimhood. However, young people (as compared to adults) who were cognitively radicalised online were more readily considered victims. A higher level of perceived victimhood, in turn, was associated with increased endorsement of rehabilitation; levels of perceived victimhood were not associated with support for criminal charges. Exploratory analyses further highlighted that young people (rather than adults) who were radicalised online were more strongly perceived as victims, which predicted elevated support for rehabilitation interventions. Young people were also attributed lower responsibility for their engagement with extremist materials and users online, which was related to lower endorsement of criminal charges.

Conclusions

Taken together, the findings underscore that more than one issue frame was used to make meaning of the phenomenon of online radicalisation. A safeguarding frame was applied with respect to young people, reflecting the victim-perpetrator nexus; a criminalisation frame was, in turn, adopted when considering adults radicalised online.