Thwarted Identity: The Missing Link Between Psychopathology and Prejudice

Prejudice is estimated to cost Australia >$38 billion per year. Until now, efforts to manage and alleviate the effects of prejudice have been largely unsuccessful, as policymakers lack a model that can explain how psychopathology (e.g., paranoia) and membership in extremist groups interact in ways that lead to and maintain prejudice and the violence that can arise from it. To address this need, our project will develop a novel model that introduces the concept of thwarted identity a state in which people feel excluded from a group to which they feel entitled to belong. This new approach will allow us to develop predictive models that can identify people at risk of extremist group membership, as well as design innovative evidence-based interventions to prevent radicalisation. We have established pathways to impact through partnership with frontline services (e.g., police, community sector, intelligence) that will facilitate the application of these innovations in future poli