ABSTRACT
Group extremism, defined as collective behavior that substantially violates situational norms of conduct, is currently receiving a great deal of attention from social scientists, military and law enforcement personnel, and the public at large. This attention is motivated by concern about extreme groups that advocate and practice violence to achieve their goals. However, a wide range of nonviolent groups (e.g., religious cults, single-issue political groups) also exhibit extremism. Because of its size and diversity, the literature on extreme groups suffers from a lack of theoretical integration. In particular, little effort has been made to identify common group processes underlying various forms of extremism. In addressing this omission, this chapter builds on Significant Quest Theory by highlighting the role that networks play in group extremism.
