Download Ideological Groups and the Internet Groups associated with religious

Ideological Groups and the Internet
Groups associated with religious, political, or social causes, also known as ideological
groups, have received a growing amount of attention in recent years because of their increased
presence on the Internet. Most recently, the ideological group known as the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) has been successful in contacting and persuading thousands of Westerners
to leave their homes and fight in a foreign country to promote their ideals. Although ISIL is a
prominent example, many extremist groups around the world, whether violent or non-violent,
use the Internet to spread their message and recruit people to support their causes. The increased
presence of extreme ideological groups online and the potential negative consequences
associated with the successful recruitment of Internet users highlight an important need for
research to explore how such groups communicate their ideologies and how they influence
people in online environments.
Ideological groups are those that adopt strongly-held beliefs or values that are viewed as
inherently good or right by the group and act as a guiding framework for the interpretation of
events, information, and the world in general. Previous research regarding these groups has
shown that they continually seek out new recruits to sustain and/or grow a base of support for
their cause. Research has started to explore characteristics of the websites developed by these
groups that help recruit and inform visitors. However, little is known about the extent to which
messages on these websites influence viewers’ feelings and attitudes about the ideology. This
two-phased program of research examined ideological website characteristics in more depth and
looked at cause-effect relationships of some of these features on viewer perceptions and
attitudes.
Phase One
Comparing Existing Ideological Websites
For the first phase, we analyzed and compared 32 existing violent ideological group
websites (e.g., League of the South, Earth Liberation Front) to 36 non-violent ideological group
websites (e.g., United Methodist Church, American Civil Liberty Union) and 37 non-ideological
group websites (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association). We focused on four
primary categories of website features. The first category included characteristics aimed at
bolstering the group’s credibility. This included things like providing evidence of expertise,
appearing trustworthy, and having up-to-date content. The second type of website feature we
examined dealt with psychological processes such as content aimed at building social identity
(e.g., highlighting the superiority of the group, making negative comparisons by pointing out the
shortcomings and flaws of other groups) and the presence of arguments reflecting moral
disengagement by rationalizing unjust, inhumane, or unethical group beliefs and actions. The
third website feature we examined was types of persuasion tactics. Specifically, we looked for
persuasion tactics that encourage people to process information on the website in a shallow,
superficial way (e.g., images, bold headlines, attractive people, emotional appeals) and tactics
that encourage people to process website content in a more meaningful way (e.g., presenting
arguments and counterarguments for the group’s ideas). We also focused on a fourth set of
features focusing on website interactivity, such as the degree to which websites fostered two-way
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communication, (e.g., the ability to post comments, links to social media websites) and the
degree of control viewers have while browsing the website.
Findings
In comparing these websites, we found one interesting similarity across websites: in
general, these group websites focused on promoting their message and identity through direct
text as opposed to indirect, more superficial website features such as the use of celebrity images.
However, for the most part, differences occurred when comparing violent to non-violent
ideological groups. Fewer differences were found when comparing non-violent groups to each
other (i.e., non-violent ideological to non-violent non-ideological groups).
Website Interactivity. First, the violent ideological groups did not use interactivity
features, such as social media links and features that allowed two-way communication between
users and the group, as much as non-violent ideological groups. However, there was little
difference in the number and type of interactivity features between the non-violent groups (both
ideological and not). The relatively small use of such features by the violent ideological group
suggests that they may be attempting to exercise control over their message more so than the
other groups.
Website Content. Violent ideological group websites included fewer credibility cues but
more fear appeals than non-violent ideological groups. In short, violent groups presented less
information that would establish their credibility, such as descriptions of their expertise on the
subject matter, and focused on communicating reasons for why readers should feel threated, with
the source of the threat including those who disagree with the group’s viewpoints. Violent
ideological groups also attempted to get people to identify personally with the group to a greater
extent than non-violent ideological groups by pointing out their superiority over other groups and
expressing justification for their actions. Although violent group websites demonstrated these
types of messages the most, these messages appeared to be more common for ideological groups
in general, as non-violent ideological groups also used more fear appeals and more tools
designed to get people to identify with the group than non-violent non-ideological groups.
Practical Implications

These findings provide important details on how the websites of violent ideological, nonviolent ideological, and non-ideological groups differ.

Being more aware of the ways ideological groups represent themselves and attempt to
persuade people online about the value of their ideology might encourage a more critical
evaluation of the core message being communicated.
o Being aware of these tactics enables people to more objectively process
ideological information or messages from non-violent and violent ideological
groups for what it is rather than relying on website appearance and embedded
content that bolsters credibility.
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
Understanding the online influence tactics used by more extreme groups on their websites
increases awareness of how the messages on such websites have the potential to influence
our beliefs and attitudes.
Phase Two
Examining Cause-and-Effect Relationships
The first phase of research was purely descriptive and meant to provide information
about the current use of various website features by different types of groups. The next phase of
our research examined the extent to which the types of website content from phase one cause
certain outcomes. Therefore, we created several versions of two fictitious ideological group
websites (a group website arguing for the integration of church and state and a group website
arguing for immigrant rights). These websites were used to investigate how variables from phase
one (credibility, violence, and interactivity) impacted viewer perceptions of group credibility,
emotional reactions to the website, intentions to act in response to the website, and attitudes
toward these groups and their ideologies.
Study 1 & 2 Description
We first developed websites and manipulated (systematically altered) different features to
look at the influence of three things: 1) credibility features like expertise, goodwill, character,
and support from external sources, 2) whether or not a group promoted violence, and 3) the
ability to interact with and control the browsing experience on the website.
Study 1 & 2 Findings
Violence. First, as expected, the promotion of violence on the website led to more
negative emotional reactions, less agreement with the group, and lowered perceptions of
credibility. The other two variables that we manipulated, credibility and interactivity, either
affected the outcomes together or in combination with different levels of promotions of violence.
Credibility and Interactivity. When group websites included credibility information and
were interactive, website visitors tended to agree more with the ideology. In addition, we found
that higher interactivity makes other features like credibility and violence more salient to
viewers. In other words, website visitors who were able to interact with the website more seemed
to take greater notice of the group’s credibility (or lack thereof) and promotions of violence. As a
result, all three manipulated variables matter in impacting website visitor attitudes and behavior.
Pre-existing Attitudes. We also measured attitudes towards the topic prior to people
viewing these websites. The ideological beliefs or attitudes already held by website visitors
seemed to matter. Specifically, ideological topics that had higher importance for individuals were
less influenced by credibility and interactivity manipulations. Ideological views not as important
to people were influenced to a greater degree by these website features. (e.g., church and state
integration topic was more important to our participants than the immigrant rights topic). This
suggests that people who visit extreme websites on ideological topics they do not already have
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an opinion on might experience a greater influence on their emotions, attitudes, and behavior
towards the group’s ideology.
Study 3 Description
We also wanted to investigate how existing beliefs and the presence of less-obvious
credibility cues on a website would impact similar outcomes. To accomplish this, we
manipulated more subtle credibility-related features on another set of fictitious websites. These
credibility features included the appearance of social consensus among website users (e.g., many
people agreeing with the ideology on a message board), meeting expectations about how
websites should look and operate (versus violating expectations, such as asking for personal
information) and endorsement by credible groups and organizations (e.g., “seals of approval” by
the Better Business Bureau).
Study 3 Findings
Pre-existing Attitudes & Credibility. Interestingly, we found that pre-existing attitudes
and subtle credibility features worked together to influence website visitors’ attitudes toward the
website and the group that sponsors the website. Additionally, participants’ pre-existing attitudes
regarding the topic and the position advocated by the website sponsor played a critical role in
how they were influenced by these subtle credibility cues. For example, those who disagreed
with the ideology presented were more likely to rely on these subtle cues to determine website
credibility than those who already supported the issue advocated by the website.
Study 4 Description
The last study we conducted looked at the effects of credibility cues and emotional
appeals across two fictitious, non-violent ideological websites, one supporting the death penalty,
and the other opposing illegal immigration. Emotional appeals on ideological group websites
involve expressions of emotions being included in the message being communicated on the
website. The emotional appeals of interest in this study were anger and fear. Fear appeals
included expressions of threat and uncertainty about the future, which are common thoughts
when experiencing fear. Anger appeals communicated feelings of unfairness and insult from
others regarding the issue. Neutral or non-emotional versions of these websites were also
examined for comparison.
Study 4 Findings
Credibility. In non-violent ideological groups, regardless of ideology, websites were
seen as distorted and overblown when there were fewer credibility cues. In other words, websites
without credibility cues are seen as less truthful regardless of the kinds of emotional appeals they
make.
Emotional Appeals. The impact of emotional appeals on perceptions that the website
was distorting the truth changed depending on the ideological topic. Namely, the antiimmigration websites with fear appeals were seen as more distorted and overblown compared to
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the versions of this website with neutral or anger appeals. On the other hand, anger appeals
resulted in making the pro-death penalty websites seem more distorted and overblown than the
same website using fear or no emotional appeals. Therefore, it appeared that fear appeals were
more harmful to the anti-immigration website while anger appeals were more harmful to the prodeath penalty ideology. Emotional appeals also decreased the likelihood that website viewers
would gather more information on the topic, but only for the pro-death penalty website. Websites
on this topic that expressed fear appeals resulted in less likelihood of future self-education on the
topic than when the website was emotionally neutral.
Pre-Existing Attitudes. We also found that pre-existing attitudes on the topics appeared
to influence the success of emotional appeals and credibility cues on both websites, and further
investigation is being done to fully understand what these influences look like.
Practical Implications

Ideological websites may influence visitors to reactions differently compared to more
traditional persuasive contexts. For example, credibility and interactivity usually have
strong effects on their own, but in an ideological realm they seem to work together to
produce subtle effects. This is likely due to the fact that it is much easier to be persuaded
to buy a product than to change your views on an ideology that forms part of your
identity.

Reasonably intelligent individuals, in this case undergraduate students, are susceptible to
credibility, interactivity, violence, and emotional cues on ideological group websites.
o This is an important finding because ideological groups can affect attitudes and
identity formation in ways that individuals are unaware of.
o The ages of our study participants suggests they are still forming and solidifying
important aspects of their identity. Our results may not look the same in older
adults whose ideological attitudes and identities are more well-established.

Pre-existing beliefs can strongly influence the likelihood of an individual to be
persuaded.
o This finding is important because it provides a way in which individuals can
protect themselves from unknowingly adopting or sympathizing with a viewpoint
from an ideological group. That is, an individual should recognize how his or her
pre-existing views (or the lack thereof) are going to affect agreement with a
message.

Knowing more about the ways that ideological groups try to appear credible, use
emotional appeals, and control online interactions with visitors will help individuals more
critically evaluate the information, ideas, and appeal of these groups before making
decisions about whether or not to support them.

Our findings are complex and suggest that the outcome that is influenced depends on the
context. Different patterns emerged for emotional versus behavioral versus attitudinal
outcomes based on the variable manipulated on the website.
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Conclusion
Although these studies do not fully explain why a website can persuade an individual to
join an extremist group, they nevertheless show that individuals are affected by such
websites. A number of the findings require follow-up studies to examine our findings in
the context of other viewer and website characteristics.
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