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Observer Sensitivity and Early Radicalization to Violence Among Young People in Germany

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Abstract

Personal sensitivity to injustice from either a victim or an observer perspective shapes political attitudes and actions. Yet, little is known about the link between justice sensitivity, particularly from an observer perspective, and early radicalization. We investigate the hypotheses that victim and observer sensitivity are differentially linked to political orientation and early radicalization outcomes among adolescents and young adults. We assessed political orientations, justice sensitivity, and early radicalization (as attitudes or intentions regarding illegal/violent political strategies) among 303 young activists (Study 1) and 3715 ninth graders (Study 2). Across both studies, observer sensitivity was linked to stronger left-wing orientations, while victim sensitivity predicted stronger right-wing orientations. Yet, findings with respect to early radicalization outcomes were mixed: Among young adult activists in Study 1, observer (but not victim) justice sensitivity positively predicted both legal activism intentions and radicalization. Among ninth graders in Study 2, on the other hand, general and right-wing radicalization were negatively associated with observer sensitivity and positively associated with victim sensitivity. The results indicate that the link between observer sensitivity and early radicalization can be positive or negative depending on the age of the sample and the political context. We discuss potential reasons for the conflicting results, as well as limitations and implications for future research.

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Notes

  1. Left-wing orientations are significantly correlated with higher observer sensitivity and lower support for general and right-wing radicalization, but showed a null correlation with left-wing radicalization. A visual inspection of the association between left-wing orientation and left-wing radicalization indicated a U-type relationship with participants from both ends (but particularly the right-wing end) of the political spectrum showing higher rates of agreement. In light of this obvious validity problem, we refrained from using left-wing radicalization as an outcome in Study 2.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our 54 test supervisors who helped to conduct study 2 as well as all research assistants and interns involved in data collection.

Funding

The studies were realized within the project “Radicalization within the digitial age (RadigZ)” supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The sponsor was not involved in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Correspondence to Sara Jahnke.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee [blinded for peer review, details included in letter to the editor] and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study (including parents or legal guardians for students below age 18).

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Jahnke, S., Schröder, C.P., Goede, LR. et al. Observer Sensitivity and Early Radicalization to Violence Among Young People in Germany. Soc Just Res 33, 308–330 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-020-00351-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-020-00351-y

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