{"id":69418,"date":"2016-10-12T22:30:34","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T03:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/?p=69418"},"modified":"2016-10-13T15:15:41","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T20:15:41","slug":"trumps-brilliant-manipulation-of-the-science-of-group-conflict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/2016\/10\/12\/trumps-brilliant-manipulation-of-the-science-of-group-conflict\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump&#8217;s Brilliant Manipulation of the Science of Group Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Why do\u00a0so many Americans\u00a0continue to support Donald Trump with such fervor?<\/p>\n<p>Hillary Clinton\u00a0now leads Donald Trump in presidential polls by double-digits,\u00a0but Trump&#8217;s hardiest supporters have not only stood by him, many have actually\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2016\/10\/politico-morning-consult-poll-229394\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2016\/10\/politico-morning-consult-poll-229394&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717033000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGjIdSlWGF9huQvfs4EvFDi2WVzOw\">increased their commitment<\/a>. It seems clear that in a little less than a month&#8217;s time, tens of millions of Americans will cast a vote for a man who overtly seeks to overthrow basic institutions that preserve the American ideal such as a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/research\/2016\/05\/23\/libel-laws-threats-nasty-insults-guide-trump-s-war-against-media\/210507\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/research\/2016\/05\/23\/libel-laws-threats-nasty-insults-guide-trump-s-war-against-media\/210507&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFHg4IYuU6WVGGsDcapD7MRmmHOfw\">free press<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/articles\/2016\/06\/21\/trumps_attack_on_freedom_of_religion_130942.html\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/articles\/2016\/06\/21\/trumps_attack_on_freedom_of_religion_130942.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFFbyYxrt-4HIyPE6oxIXd0vO_djg\">freedom of religion<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/magazine\/story\/2016\/08\/poll-election-monitor-challengers-vote-laws-watchers-214189\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.politico.com\/magazine\/story\/2016\/08\/poll-election-monitor-challengers-vote-laws-watchers-214189&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF1prb0QfKEGMWvxUzuTUmrQhLLjw\">universal suffrage<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/reason.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/20\/donald-trump-vs-the-sixth-amendment\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/reason.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/20\/donald-trump-vs-the-sixth-amendment&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHTm7yw9I99s3ZXyfPBr56wG_u4WQ\">the right of the accused to legal counsel<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/ballot-box\/presidential-races\/291208-trump-says-hed-prosecute-us-citizens-in-guantanamo\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/ballot-box\/presidential-races\/291208-trump-says-hed-prosecute-us-citizens-in-guantanamo&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHkgWRya1mXqP8Jv36GKZG9bdQ4mg\">the right of habeas corpus<\/a>. This is over-and-above his loudly proclaimed bigotry, sexism, boasts of sexual assault, ableism, history of racial and anti-Muslim bias, and other execrable personal characteristics that would have completely destroyed\u00a0the electoral prospects of past presidential candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is a uniquely odious candidate who is quite likely going to lose, but\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/projects.fivethirtyeight.com\/2016-election-forecast\/?ex_cid=rrpromo\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/projects.fivethirtyeight.com\/2016-election-forecast\/?ex_cid%3Drrpromo&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHCjOVFEFTWtyNKtlEy8KPY11FVNQ\">more than 40% of Americans plan to vote for him<\/a>. The science of group conflict might help us understand why.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69421\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69421\" style=\"width: 499px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/files\/2016\/10\/2.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-69421\" src=\"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/files\/2016\/10\/2.jpg\" alt=\"Photograph by Gage Skidmore via Flickr\" width=\"499\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/files\/2016\/10\/2.jpg 640w, https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/files\/2016\/10\/2-500x334.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 499px) 100vw, 499px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69421\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photograph by Gage Skidmore via Flickr.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a powerful 2003\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/isites.harvard.edu\/fs\/docs\/icb.topic920395.files\/Dangerous%20Ideas.pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/isites.harvard.edu\/fs\/docs\/icb.topic920395.files\/Dangerous%2520Ideas.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEm6ykyePTeZ1OpPm-MZPIHKRx8Hg\">article<\/a>\u00a0in the journal\u00a0<em>American Psychologist<\/em>, Roy Eidelson and Judy Eidelson foreshadowed Trump&#8217;s popularity. Drawing on\u00a0a close reading of both history and social science literature, they\u00a0identified\u00a0five beliefs that &#8212; if successfully inculcated in people by a leader &#8212;\u00a0motivate\u00a0people to\u00a0initiate\u00a0group conflict. Trump&#8217;s campaign rhetoric deftly\u00a0mobilizes\u00a0all five.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Confidence in one&#8217;s\u00a0superiority<\/strong>: Trump constantly broadcasts a message that he\u00a0and his followers are superior to other Americans, whereas those who oppose him are &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/politics\/first-draft\/2015\/11\/13\/trump-asks-iowans-how-stupid-are-they-to-believe-carson\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/politics\/first-draft\/2015\/11\/13\/trump-asks-iowans-how-stupid-are-they-to-believe-carson\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEJKBb-eDRY9oxtaIWkFBgkocU2vQ\">stupid<\/a>&#8221;\u00a0and deserve to be punched in the face. His own followers\u2019 violent acts are excused as emanating from &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/mail.google.com\/mail\/u\/1\/%3C%20http:\/\/www.vox.com\/2016\/3\/11\/11202540\/trump-violent%3E\">tremendous love and passion for the country<\/a>.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Claims of unjust treatment<\/strong>: Trump is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-fix\/wp\/2016\/04\/19\/18-times-donald-trump-complained-about-being-treated-unfairly\/\">obsessed with the concept of fairness<\/a>, but only when it goes his way. Given his presumed superiority, it naturally follows that the only way he and his supporters could fail is if injustice occurs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fears of vulnerability<\/strong>:\u00a0Accordingly, Trump has overtly stated that he believes\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/research\/2016\/10\/12\/trump-s-rigged-election-nonsense-comes-straight-his-conspiracy-theorist-allies\/213761\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/research\/2016\/10\/12\/trump-s-rigged-election-nonsense-comes-straight-his-conspiracy-theorist-allies\/213761&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG8qDVrpI4MOmr-_sN1lNLIy3NO1g\">the presidential election will be rigged<\/a>.\u00a0His supporters believe him. In one recent poll, only 16 percent of North Carolina Trump supporters agreed that if Clinton wins it would be because she got more votes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Distrust of the other<\/strong>:\u00a0Trump and his supporters routinely claim that the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.westernjournalism.com\/trump-supporters-tell-cnn-think-liberal-media\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.westernjournalism.com\/trump-supporters-tell-cnn-think-liberal-media\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHqWCTf8rzbhLsXpLyNC08Uqf0cbw\">media<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.teaparty.org\/huckabee-trump-phenomenon-peaceful-overthrow-government-146995\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.teaparty.org\/huckabee-trump-phenomenon-peaceful-overthrow-government-146995\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHeC_eL_zcIHhIrHnqj52QprBNHvw\">government<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/patriotpost.us\/opinion\/38829\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=https:\/\/patriotpost.us\/opinion\/38829&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG4K9nxfIYA3ytNbVmnRG-S4yW-Tg\">educational institutions<\/a>,\u00a0and other\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/06\/01\/judge-presiding-over-trump-university-case-is-member-of-la-raza-lawyers-group\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/06\/01\/judge-presiding-over-trump-university-case-is-member-of-la-raza-lawyers-group\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEAjcj9QJZDVl5sHvj_w4Dw56Kdhg\">established<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/calvinbeisner\/2016\/10\/08\/progressive-evangelicals-show-their-bias-in-antitrump-letter-n2229285\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/calvinbeisner\/2016\/10\/08\/progressive-evangelicals-show-their-bias-in-antitrump-letter-n2229285&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNErrBLKTxza-lg9sEXY0RVm1cywuA\">entities<\/a> are overtly undermining Trump, his supporters, and their values. To many Trump supporters, merely being published or broadcast by a major news outlet is evidence that a fact is not credible, given the certainty they have that media professionals are conspiring against Trump.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A sense of helplessness<\/strong>: When Trump allows that it&#8217;s possible that he might lose the election because of fraud, conspiracy, or\u00a0disloyalty, he taps into his followers&#8217; sense of helplessness. No matter how superior he and his followers truly are, no matter how unjustly they are treated, there is little that they can do in the face of a nation-wide plot against him. Accordingly,\u00a0many of Trump&#8217;s most ardent supporters will see the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-fix\/wp\/2016\/10\/09\/donald-trump-just-had-the-worst-week-in-washington-ever\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-fix\/wp\/2016\/10\/09\/donald-trump-just-had-the-worst-week-in-washington-ever\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFjCbL9TL6GWJHvdK0NCxV_lJHDpQ\">impending rejection<\/a>\u00a0of their candidate not as a corrective experience to lead them to reconsider their beliefs, but as further evidence that they are helpless in the face of a larger, untrustworthy outgroup.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By ably nurturing these five beliefs, Trump\u00a0has gained power far beyond the level most could have dreamed prior to the present election cycle.<\/p>\n<p>It seems clear that, if and when\u00a0Trump\u00a0loses,\u00a0he won&#8217;t be going anywhere. He has a constituency, stoked by effective rhetorics shown to propel people to group conflict, one\u00a0some of his supporters are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rightwingwatch.org\/post\/pat-buchanan-if-trump-loses-there-could-be-a-revolution\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.rightwingwatch.org\/post\/pat-buchanan-if-trump-loses-there-could-be-a-revolution\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHrHFkDWNpFe8bq7kEFfe2mbmJhrQ\">already preparing for<\/a>. And, since he has convinced so many of\u00a0his supporters\u00a0that he alone can bring the changes they desire, it is a surety that he will use their mandate for his\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2016\/06\/donald-trump-tv-network\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/news\/2016\/06\/donald-trump-tv-network&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1476396717034000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFKHRyg0wH2zeOiPO8QmeGIxc8aPw\">own future purposes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div><em>Sean Ransom, PhD is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Tulane University School of Medicine and founder of the <a href=\"http:\/\/cbtnola.com\">Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center of New Orleans<\/a>. He received his PhD in clinical psychology at the University of South Florida.<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why do\u00a0so many Americans\u00a0continue to support Donald Trump with such fervor? Hillary Clinton\u00a0now leads Donald Trump in presidential polls by double-digits,\u00a0but Trump&#8217;s hardiest supporters have not only stood by him, many have actually\u00a0increased their commitment. It seems clear that in a little less than a month&#8217;s time, tens of millions of Americans will cast a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":69422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12508,23645,23717,329,2098,23656,85,20068,283,675,20063,23659,37],"class_list":["post-69418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-activismsocial-movements","tag-bodies-prejudicediscrimination","tag-disability-prejudicediscrimination","tag-emotion","tag-gender-prejudicediscrimination","tag-immigrants-prejudicediscrimination","tag-politics","tag-politics-election-2016","tag-prejudicediscrimination","tag-psychology","tag-raceethnicity-prejudicediscrimination","tag-religion-prejudicediscrimination","tag-social-psychology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/files\/2016\/10\/2-4.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69418"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69425,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69418\/revisions\/69425"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}