Explaining extremism from behavior and preferences? Consistency and participation on social media

Abstract

This article looks at how online political participation affects extremist positions. It also centers on the connection between issues within an extremist issue bundle. The study asks whether holding a strong position on an issue bundle can explain extremism on other issues. Using a 2020 representative survey, the analysis applies multivariate regressions, a two-stage least squares model, and placebo tests to seek exogenous variation in the inference. It also explores a two-fold mechanism, analyzing cognitive dissonance to understand preferences and motivated reasoning to explain behavior. The findings show a significant link between online participation and extremist positions. They also reveal that holding an extreme view on an issue bundle is tied to extremism on another new issue. This research helps clarify the effects of consistent extremist people and the role online political participation plays in shaping extremist beliefs about public policy issues.