The Multidimensional Typology of the Convicted of Extremism Based on the Factor and Cluster Analysis of Psychodiagnostics Results

The paper presents the multivariate analysis of the psychodiagnostics results for the persons convicted of extremism. This analysis made it possible to develop the typology of the current extreme behavior patterns. The Survey covered 52 men convicted of terrorism and extremism who served their sentence in the punishment-oriented institution of the Tomsk Region. The methods of the study include: 1) Mini-Mult Inventory (the short version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI:) adapted by V.P. Zaitseva, 2004). 2) Personality Self-Determination Test (developed by B. Sheldon, adapted and modified by E.N. Osina, 2011.) 3) Diagnostics of the Motivated Personality Structure (V.E. Milman, 1990). 4) Cultural-Value Differential (G.U. Soldatova, I.M. Kuznetsov and S.V. Ryshova, 1998). 5) Meshcheryakova's Personality Inventory (1993). As a result of the multivariate analysis, 4 factors were identified: Smoothening of Psychopathologic Symptomatology, Striving for Harmonious Relationships, Intensity of Psychopathology, and Intensity of Externality. The next stage of the data analysis was to check dependency of each factor on the affiliation of the convicted to one of the self-identification clusters identified at the previous stage using the questionnaire on attitude to extremism. Such dependence was checked using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) with F-ratio test which identified two statistically significant relationships. Further, the authors' task was to develop the complex typology of psychological factors underlying extremism among convicted individuals. In order to accomplish this task, they used the cluster analysis which allowed them to gain a deeper insight into interactions of different personality traits with the revealed identity of the convicted. The multivariate analysis provided the following results: 1. The persons convicted of terrorism did not show any marked deviations in their psychodiagnostics profiles. Due to this, the authors suggest that the cultural environmental factors have the significant effect on this phenomenon by actualizing some negative personality features in the context of their absorption into the criminogenic and ideologically engaged environment. 2. The complex typology of the convicted persons (psychological characteristics of such self-identifications as "Victims", "Seekers", "Fighters" and "Defenders") was introduced to describe the group psychological portrait of the persons convicted of extremism which can be defined through interrelations of emotional, motivational, cultural-value, and self-identification attributes. The conflicting combination of the latter ones show the ambiguous relationship between three components of extreme behavior - position within a group, role in a crime and personality traits. 3. Heuristics of multivariate techniques opens the opportunities for deeper insight into the problem of extremism. The findings of the study will form the basis for developing psychological programs aimed at identifying and developing psychological resources which are necessary to efficiently counteract effects of extremist ideologies. These findings will be of theoretical value for the psychological science and of practical value for improving the current youth policy in the Russian Federation.

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