ABSTRACT
This chapter presents violent extremist behavior in an empirically validated and extensively researched framework of health behavior change: the information–motivation–behavioral (IMB) skills model of behavior change. It describes the origins of the IMB model and the constructs and relationships it proposes. The chapter reviews empirical support for the IMB model in the context of intervention research in the area of HIV prevention. It discusses new approaches to countering violent extremism as well as procedures for translating the IMB approach into conceptually based, empirically targeted, and rigorously evaluated countering violent extremism prevention efforts. The chapter suggests a general utility of the IMB model as an approach to understanding the social and psychological factors that influence the range of extremist behaviors. It concludes with reviewing applications of the IMB model in the prediction and understanding of health behaviors like HIV prevention compared to current conceptualizations and understanding of violent extremist behaviors.
