Imagining Neo-Nazis in Social Psychology

In an era of severe political divide and growing polarization, it is essential to empirically study extreme, potentially dangerous, human behavior in regards to political ideology. In intense fear of what appears to be a U.S. government crawling closer and closer towards embraced fascism every week, with the banning of certain words in government documents, an immigration ban, conspicuous racist dialogue in public, presidential speech, and a general nationalist attitude of ‘America First’, there is a call for understanding the radicalized, fascist group of neo-Nazi Americans in search of answers for peace-keeping and the protection of a free nation for all. Where there is hatred of ‘the Other’, there is a need for intervention and opposition if one values things such as nonviolence, universal freedom, respect for people, and common civility. This topic is not to be taken lightly, but instead should be urgently studied through the lens of social psychology, specifically with the help of the fundamental attribution error, the homogenous out-group effect, and obedience. It is for reasons and situations like these that the world needs social psychology, calling to mind the similar questions that Milgram had himself half a century ago. When and under which situational conditions is human behavior at its most evil? Applying the empirical knowledge of social psychology to a real-world application, we can better understand the situational factors that lend themselves to the formation of neo-Nazi, ‘Alt-Right’ groups, which will ultimately humanize their members and better provide us with explanations for why such evil exists.

Can we claim that mainstream interpretation of members of neo-nazi groups may at least partially be explained by the fundamental attribution error, or the idea that there is an over-emphasis on the internal dispositions of group members, rather than the situational conditions that the members find themselves in? This is an interesting question, because I could frame it from the perspective of so-called neo-nazi or alt-right groups that are viewing non-white individuals (black people for example) as behaving in ways that are solely manifestations of their internal characteristics. For example, neo-nazis preach of ‘white power’ or the dominance of the white ‘race’ over all others. Perhaps, they base their arguments by observing the racial makeup of the world’s most powerful and influential people today. They see that the majority of powerful people in the US are white, and they may also see a pattern that black individuals tend to live in poverty more often than almost all other groups. From this, and operating under the fundamental attribution error, it would be understandable to infer that non-white individuals are in impoverished situations because of their character and inner inferiority. Of course, when you understand external and unequal social pressures placed on people of color in the US, you realize how ridiculous this conclusion is. The emphasis on internal explanations for the unequal racial distribution along the socioeconomic spectrum in the US is simply an error. Social, external factors are unquestionably at play.

The question continues when you reverse the framing of the fundamental attribution error. Does the United States view members of American nationalist and alt-right groups as inherently bad people? It is so easy to observe a man chanting “white power!” who is also carrying a torch, and assume that this man is incapable of kindness and empathy. Perhaps if we looked at the rise in neo-Nazi groups as a socialized phenomenon (if we think like social psychologists), we would be less apt to attribute the contemptible behavior of white nationalists as indicators of who they are as people and see it more as individual cases of brainwashing and evil influence. The external factors of promised brotherhood and a desperate need for upward economic mobility that white power promises are more so the reason for individuals to get involved. Perhaps, white nationalists do not act because of who they are, they act because their environment has swayed them to do so. While it may be easy to assume that ‘Alt-Right’ members are inherently evil people, understanding the situation may be better served by applying the understanding of the fundamental attribution error. When we do this, we are choosing to observe alt-right members more complexly, always an active choice that leads more observed detail. Choosing to imagine members as people, instead of monsters, involves putting in more effort to this situation just as Gilbert’s two-step model would suggest. In this theory of attribution, Gilbert asserts that there is the initial, automatic inclination to jump to internal conclusions about why a person behaves the way they do. However, people are not islands, and no person was raised alone. In other words, everyone was brought up by someone. The second step to attribution, according to Gilbert, is more effortful. It is making a situational attribution and taking the energy to ponder external explanations for someone’s behavior. Let’s delve further in to this effortful thinking while working with our considerations of neo-Nazi groups in the United States.

Recognizing the isolated, non-diverse, and often disenfranchised communities that are typically the birthplace of neo-Nazi groups, will help us understand the concept of the Out-Group Homogeneity Effect so likely to blame in the festering rage that burns through neo-Nazi speech and rhetoric. For the exact reason that we must take the effortful approach to understanding neo-Nazis, we can observe the lack of this approach in their understanding of others in the world. The psychological effect establishes the normative assumption that humans will observe members of their own in-group much more complexly and individualized than members of a group they do not belong in. Since neo-Nazis are likely operating from this place, they are headed in the direction of dehumanizing people of other races, nationalities, and sometimes even gender. Neo-Nazi groups, often intersecting with ‘male rights groups’, make negative statements that paint others under a broad brush, having a general disregard for ‘those colored people’ or ‘those gay people’ who do not seem to have a place in their America. Perhaps it is because these group members have never interacted with gay people or people of color to an extent where they would be able imagine a place for them in ‘their America’. Taking the situational influences a step further, we will briefly touch on conformity, compliance, and obedience.

Alt-right group membership comes with its own form of in-group culture and belonging, which is highly masculinized and holds its own hierarchies. Any group that works cohesively must be made up of members that behave in a way that aligns with group norms. This is the definition of conformity, so we may assume that ‘Alt-Right’ members conform to each other’s standards of each other. Furthering the mention of social influences, I will argue that obedience is also at play in the formation of these ‘Alt-Right’ communities. Obedience requires compliance of an individual who has been asked to behave a certain way or think a certain way by a figure of authority. Christian Picciolini hints at the social structure involved in a neo-Nazi group he once held membership in, but now denounces, and says that the people running the social hierarchy of ‘Alt-Right’ groups have a very distinct, hate-filled agenda (William & Smith, 2017). Because group membership seems to be increasing, perhaps the simple acknowledgement of authority figures within the group is a reason to believe obedience is influencing new members to join. People ‘at the top’ in the social structure of the group are recruiting individuals and telling them to adopt the ideology that white people are better for America. New members believe this is true, and this is the definition of obedience. It is notable to mention that in other statements Picciolini puts more emphasis on membership being attractive because of the community aspect involved, the purpose, and the sense of belonging. Perhaps being obedient to the authority and the cause allows members to reap the rewards of feeling a sense of general life purpose, and this is part of the appeal.

Applying empirically observed knowledge from social psychology, such as the fundamental attribution error, the out-group homogeneity effect, and social influencing factors such as conformity, compliance, and obedience, we can better understand the situational factors that lend themselves to the formation of neo-Nazi groups. Putting in extra effort to complexly imagine individual people of socialized, often violent hate groups, we will be better provided with explanations for why certain types of evil may unfold in political dialogue and ideology. Utilizing the wisdom of author, activist, and anthropologist Rebecca Solnit, we can understand that there is a call to become familiar with that which is concealed to us. It can be interpreted as a call to push against an inclination to function under the fundamental attribution error, or the out-group homogeneity effect, or other forms of social influences. It will involve a sense of lost identity however, especially in the case of ‘Alt-Right’ groups. Solnit advises, “That thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you is usually what you need to find, and finding it is a matter of getting lost. The word ‘lost’ comes from the old Norse ‘los’ meaning the disbanding of an army, and this origin suggests soldiers falling out of formation to go home, a truce with the wide world.…I worry now that people never disband their armies, never go beyond what they know” (Solnit, 2006, 6-7). In order to disband violent rhetoric like that of neo-Nazis, there will need to be a loss of identity, and finding what is unknown to a group of individuals will be the cure. She furthers her point by referring to the old biblical notion that if you work to gain all the power and riches of the world, you will lose your soul, but if you yourself get lost, lose your identities, and lose the world, you will gain your soul (Solnit, 2006, 14-15). This would be the medicine advised after an in-depth look on human behavior and the course of social psychology.

References

Rebecca Solnit (Author). (n.d.). A Field Guide to Getting Lost Paperback – June 27, 2006. Retrieved December 17, 2017.

Williams, J., & Smith, S. V. (2017, August 13). A Reformed White Nationalist Speaks Out On Charlottesville. Retrieved December 17, 2017, from https://www.npr.org/2017/08/13/543259499/a-reformed-white-nationalist-speaks-out-on-charlottesville