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Leader's' emotional cues predict violence

Leaders' Emotional Cues May Predict Acts of Terror or Political Agg...

Analysis of speeches delivered by government, activist and terrorist leaders found that leaders' expressions of anger, contempt and disgust spiked immediately before their group committed an act of violence.

Among leaders of groups that committed aggressive acts, there was a significant increase in expressions of anger, contempt and disgust from 3 to 6 months prior to the group committing an act of violence. For nonviolent groups, expressions of anger, contempt and disgust decreased from 3 to 6 months prior to the group staging an act of peaceful resistance.

That combination seems to be a recipe for hatred that leads to violence...

Anger, contempt and disgust may be particularly important drivers of violent behavior because they are often expressed in response to moral violations, says Matsumoto, and when an individual feels these emotions about a person or group, they often feel that their opponent is unchangeable and inherently bad. [emphasis mine]

We should be on the lookout for this combination expressed against atheists.

Tags: anger, contempt, disgust, incite to violence

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ian Mason on August 31, 2012 at 12:24pm

Yes. Turn up the propganda, whip up the hostile atmosphere and then strike. I'm sure Lao Tse, Machiavelli and a lot of others have described this. I wonder who will be the first to turn on us?

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on August 31, 2012 at 1:01pm

Excellent article! I had read somewhere else that "disgust" was a dominant trait for right wingers. Makes sense when you consider the roots of homophobia, bigotry, xenophobia have a strong "disgust" component

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on August 31, 2012 at 1:03pm

http://www.overcominghateportal.org/uploads/5/4/1/5/5415260/disgust...

On disgust and political affiliation

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 31, 2012 at 1:20pm

I'd like to redefine "degrading, defiling, and unnatural" behaviors rather than merely ignoring the role moral role of disgust reactions. Rape, for example, elicits disgust for me. Masturbation to porn isn't disgusting, just kind of sad and pathetic because it's lonely. We can reexamine the enculturation imposed on top of our instincts for disgust.

Thanks for the link.

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on August 31, 2012 at 2:44pm

My own reactions to political events that are inconsistent with my views, tend to be frustration, sometimes bewilderment, and always a compulsion to discuss evidence and logic.

When my right-wing cousin encounters events inconsistent with his views, his response seems to be repulsion, brooding anger, and a desire to eliminate the opposition.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on October 21, 2012 at 4:37pm

Given that Romney already holds many in contempt (his 47% remark), he's pre-loaded for using the presidency as a tool of violence.

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