A Common Psychology of Male Violence? Assessing the Effects of Misogyny on Violent Extremism and Gender-Based Violence

A new study titled ‘A Common Psychology of Male Violence? Assessing the Effects of Misogyny on Intentions to Engage in Violent Extremism, Interpersonal Violence and Support for Violence against Women‘ has shed new light on the role of misogyny in various forms of male violence. Conducted on a nationally representative UK sample of 1,500 participants, this research explores the interconnectedness between misogynistic beliefs and male-perpetrated violence.

Key Findings:

• Misogyny is a shared risk factor for different types of male violence, including violent extremism, interpersonal violence, and violence against women.
• Among men, misogyny predicts violent intentions and willingness to engage in violence, mediated by revenge planning and hypermasculinity. This is particularly strong in men with a sense of violated entitlement and perceived ingroup threats.
• Interestingly, among women, misogyny correlates with a readiness to use interpersonal violence and support for violence against women.

What evidence does this study show?

The study employed Lavaan to examine path models with moderated mediations, including 5,000 bootstrap samples for robust non-parametric data handling. Key statistical findings include:

• Misogyny significantly predicted revenge motivation and, in turn, was linked to an increased likelihood of violent extremist intentions and willingness to engage in interpersonal violence.
• The moderated mediation effects were significant, particularly for men with high levels of collective narcissism or perceived group threats.

Implications for policy and practice

These findings have critical practical implications. They suggest that misogyny, as an underpinning factor for male violence, could be a key target for prevention and intervention strategies. This research indicates that violent extremism, interpersonal violence, and violence against women may be partly driven by shared psychological factors like misogyny, revenge motivation, and hypermasculinity.

Furthermore, the study provides an empirical basis for incorporating misogyny into risk assessment tools for extremist and gender-based violence. Understanding the shared mechanisms through which misogyny influences different forms of male violence can inform programmatic approaches for prevention and management.