Young Shooters: Is There an Online “Ecology of Extremism”?
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By better understanding young shooters and the factors that influence the propensity to commit these crimes, we may be able to reduce the incidence of mass shootings. This post focuses on factors unique to the online ecosystems that many young people, especially young men, inhabit.
While there isn’t a universally accepted definition of a “mass shooting,” roughly following The Violence Project and other researchers, I use three criteria: four or more fatalities; occurs in a public location; and is unrelated to gang violence, drug deals, or other criminal activity.
5 Key Facts About Mass Shooters
Mass shooters are disproportionately male.
The United States leads the developed world in the number of mass shootings, with 73 percent of all mass shootings in developed countries.
Shooters often experienced trauma in childhood and frequently expressed an emotional crisis before the shooting.
The shooters are often “insiders” who target locations they know: 88 percent of shooters in K-12 schools and 89 percent of college campus shooters were students or connected to the school or college.
While mass shooters have often experienced complex trauma, depression, or have other mental health challenges, emotional health factors are not the sole or even the most important factor driving their violence.
A complex interplay of individual vulnerabilities, social dynamics, and digital environments shapes the psychology of radicalization among young adults. There is strong evidence that online spaces act as amplifiers and facilitators—rather than sole causes—of radicalization, creating an “ecology of extremism” in which exposure, reinforcement, and group dynamics converge.
Patterns of Online Behavior That Seem to Amplify Risk
Research has identified at least three patterns of online behavior associated with increased risk:
Online Socialization and Vulnerabilities. Young adults at risk often experience social dislocation (e.g., poor educational engagement), mental health issues, personal grievances, and exposure to radicalized networks. Active engagement with social media and online communities tends to facilitate radicalization, but is not a root cause of radicalization.
Online Interactions That Feed Into Psychological Pathways. Radicalization is often driven by a combination of psychopathology, perceived injustice, social adversity (including victimization, online or offline), and a quest for significance or belonging. Online interactions that provide a feeling of importance or group identity can reinforce extremist narratives.
Preference for Online Interactions. A preference for online over face-to-face socialization is linked to higher support for violent radicalization, especially among young adults with low social support, low self-esteem, and symptoms of depression.
Content retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ie/blog/trauma-resilience-and-recovery/202511/young-shooters-is-there-an-online-ecology-of-extremism.
