On People and Their Passions: The Role of Identities and Emotions in Radical Political Behavior

Abstract

Abundant evidence suggests that identities and emotions motivate individuals to engage in two recently prominent political behaviors: radical right support and affective polarization. This dissertation integrates this knowledge by asking why identities and emotions are so relevant. I propose that either factor shapes how individuals perceive their position in relation to others, motivating to exclude or oppose them. Across five papers, I leverage seven theories substantiating and a mixed-methods approach examining this claim. In so doing, this dissertation establishes one mechanism––perceived societal position––for why identities and emotions matter for radical right support and affective polarization. Moreover, by integrating these two behaviors into radical political behavior, I invite future research to theorize and investigate these behaviors’ shared consequences for social cohesion and democratic norms. This dissertation implies that purely rational approaches to understanding and addressing radical political behavior are limited. Identity or emotion-based interventions may be more effective.