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Factors Associated with Online Hate Acceptance: A Cross-National Six-Country Study among Young Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Magdalena Celuch

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Atte Oksanen

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland)

  • Pekka Räsänen

    (Economic Sociology, Department of Social Research, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland)

  • Matthew Costello

    (Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Criminal Justice, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29643, USA)

  • Catherine Blaya

    (URMIS—The Migrations and Society Research Unit (CNRS 8245-IMR IRD 205), Université Côte d’Azur, 06046 Nice, France)

  • Izabela Zych

    (Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Vicente J. Llorent

    (Department of Education, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Ashley Reichelmann

    (Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA)

  • James Hawdon

    (Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA)

Abstract

The Internet, specifically social media, is among the most common settings where young people encounter hate speech. Understanding their attitudes toward the phenomenon is crucial for combatting it because acceptance of such content could contribute to furthering the spread of hate speech as well as ideology contamination. The present study, theoretically grounded in the General Aggression Model (GAM), investigates factors associated with online hate acceptance among young adults. We collected survey data from participants aged 18–26 from six countries: Finland ( n = 483), France ( n = 907), Poland ( n = 738), Spain ( n = 739), the United Kingdom ( n = 959), and the United States ( n = 1052). Results based on linear regression modeling showed that acceptance of online hate was strongly associated with acceptance of violence in all samples. In addition, participants who admitted to producing online hate reported higher levels of acceptance of it. Moreover, association with social dominance orientation was found in most of the samples. Other sample-specific significant factors included participants’ experiences with the Internet and online hate, as well as empathy and institutional trust levels. Significant differences in online hate acceptance levels and the strength of its connections to individual factors were found between the countries. These results provide important insights into the phenomenon, demonstrating that online hate acceptance is part of a larger belief system and is influenced by cultural background, and, therefore, it cannot be analyzed or combatted in isolation from these factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Magdalena Celuch & Atte Oksanen & Pekka Räsänen & Matthew Costello & Catherine Blaya & Izabela Zych & Vicente J. Llorent & Ashley Reichelmann & James Hawdon, 2022. "Factors Associated with Online Hate Acceptance: A Cross-National Six-Country Study among Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:1:p:534-:d:717258
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    1. Sebastian Wachs & Michelle F. Wright & Ruthaychonnee Sittichai & Ritu Singh & Ramakrishna Biswal & Eun-mee Kim & Soeun Yang & Manuel Gámez-Guadix & Carmen Almendros & Katerina Flora & Vassiliki Daskal, 2019. "Associations between Witnessing and Perpetrating Online Hate in Eight Countries: The Buffering Effects of Problem-Focused Coping," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Nigel Harriman & Neil Shortland & Max Su & Tyler Cote & Marcia A. Testa & Elena Savoia, 2020. "Youth Exposure to Hate in the Online Space: An Exploratory Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
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