Identity Fusion in Virtual Groups: The Impact of Shared Dysphoric Experiences in Global Echo Chambers on Online Radicalisation

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This research project seeks to explore the impact of online echo chambers on identity fusion through an interdisciplinary lens, combining the concept of identity fusion and narrative research on identity. Building on existing research from the fields of cognitive anthropology, social psychology and communication studies, its goal is to analyse the role of shared dysphoria on identity fusion within extremist online communities. For this purpose, I propose to develop and test a set of hypotheses using a three-layered approach that encompasses linguistic analysis, ethnographic research and interviews with radicalised individuals. There is a rich and growing body of research on radicalisation in the digital space, spanning from psychological experiments and sociological studies to linguistic analyses and narrative research in online extremist forums. Despite a wide range of studies aiming to understand how individuals and groups adopt extreme attitudes and behaviours in the digital space, the question whether and how online identity fusion takes place in extremist forums online remains an enigma. To date, there is no systematic analysis of the relationship between identity formation within emerging digital echo chambers and radicalisation. This research project therefore seeks to fill this gap by exploring the drivers and manifestations of identity fusion in the digital arena.The overall aim of the project is to make progress on questions related to identity formation, in-group and out-group thinking and radicalisation in the digital space. Beyond its contribution to filling academic gaps related to the study of online radicalisation and the online-offline extremism nexus, this research project could also provide valuable insights for policymakers, social media companies and frontline practitioners seeking to understand, prevent and combat online radicalisation.