Personal and psychological fundamentals of extremism

Abstract

This article deals with the psychological aspects of the problem of religious and political extremism – one of the most urgent problems of modern political and social conditions, as well as analysis of the psychological characteristics of an individual prone to extremism, its motivational sphere determining extremist actions. Emotional charac­ teristics and forms of emotional states of individuals belonging to extremist ideology are explained. Also, theoretical analysis of psychological lifes’ dynamics of individuals who adhere to extremist ideologies was conducted. In order to understand the specificity of extremism analyzed the specifics of extremist conviction of the person, its difference from the normal belief. The latter is usually called an active lifestyle, as well as extremist personality involves in practical realization of their beliefs, matching a person’s behavior to his convictions. Active life position is expressed by ideological principles, consis­ tency in defending their views, while the content is expressed by conscious attitude to public duty, morality, collectivism, creative approach to the work, belief in general, commitment and consistent implementation in the behavior of humanistic values. Spe­ cifics of extremist emotional experience creates a situation of frustration or conflict with several features. Conflict between the extremist beliefs and outside world, between the utopian ideal and usually distorted views about extremist is the basis of a critical situa­ tion, which determined specific emotional experiences of extremist.