Psychological Pathways to Religious Radicalization

Abstract

Religious radicalization is a psychological process whereby individuals adopt extreme beliefs, moral absolutism, and hostility toward out-groups, sometimes culminating in ideological violence. Although often associated with political and cultural conditions, radicalization is fundamentally rooted in cognitive, emotional, and identity-driven mechanisms. This study evaluates psychological pathways including identity crisis, trauma, social alienation, moral rigidity, group conformity, and charismatic leadership. Using a hypothetical multi-country dataset (Netherlands, India, Nigeria), results indicate that radicalization arises less from religious doctrine itself and more from unmet psychological needs for belonging, meaning, justice, and control. A multi-stage cognitive-behavioral pathway model is proposed to explain progression from grievance to ideological commitment.