The association between media exposure and violent radicalization of young people: A multilevel meta-analysis

Abstract

Violent radicalization of young people poses considerable risks to society, with notable concerns about the role that media exposure might play in this process. Despite young people's susceptibility to violent radicalization and their frequent online media use, previous reviews on these topics have not focused on this age group specifically. To increase understanding of the association between media exposure and violent radicalization in young people, a multilevel meta-analysis was conducted. In total, 31 studies were included, reporting on 29 independent samples (N = 52,772) yielding 230 effect sizes. A small overall effect of r = 0.12, indicated that media exposure was positively associated with violent radicalization in young people. The effect was stronger for vignettes/behavioral assessment methods of media exposure, online media exposure, and exposure to extremist content. Future research would benefit from using more comprehensive measures of both media exposure and violent radicalization. In addition, designs that allow for stronger causal inference are needed to clarify the directionality of the main effect. Overall, the findings highlight the complex role of media exposure in violent radicalization and point to the importance of both individual and policy interventions to reduce young people's exposure to harmful media content.