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The devoted actor’s will to fight and the spiritual dimension of human conflict

Author

Listed:
  • Ángel Gómez

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED)

  • Lucía López-Rodríguez

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    Universidad de Almería)

  • Hammad Sheikh

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    New School for Social Research)

  • Jeremy Ginges

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    New School for Social Research)

  • Lydia Wilson

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway)

  • Hoshang Waziri

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway)

  • Alexandra Vázquez

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway)

  • Richard Davis

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    University of Oxford
    Arizona State University)

  • Scott Atran

    (Artis International, 6424 East Greenway Parkway
    University of Oxford
    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Jean Nicod—Ecole Normale Supérieure
    University of Michigan)

Abstract

Frontline investigations with fighters against the Islamic State (ISIL or ISIS), combined with multiple online studies, address willingness to fight and die in intergroup conflict. The general focus is on non-utilitarian aspects of human conflict, which combatants themselves deem ‘sacred’ or ‘spiritual’, whether secular or religious. Here we investigate two key components of a theoretical framework we call ‘the devoted actor’—sacred values and identity fusion with a group—to better understand people’s willingness to make costly sacrifices. We reveal three crucial factors: commitment to non-negotiable sacred values and the groups that the actors are wholly fused with; readiness to forsake kin for those values; and perceived spiritual strength of ingroup versus foes as more important than relative material strength. We directly relate expressed willingness for action to behaviour as a check on claims that decisions in extreme conflicts are driven by cost–benefit calculations, which may help to inform policy decisions for the common defense.

Suggested Citation

  • Ángel Gómez & Lucía López-Rodríguez & Hammad Sheikh & Jeremy Ginges & Lydia Wilson & Hoshang Waziri & Alexandra Vázquez & Richard Davis & Scott Atran, 2017. "The devoted actor’s will to fight and the spiritual dimension of human conflict," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(9), pages 673-679, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:1:y:2017:i:9:d:10.1038_s41562-017-0193-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-017-0193-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Varaine & Raul Magni-Berton & Ismaël Benslimane & Paolo Crosetto, 2022. "Egoism and altruism in intergroup conflict," Working Papers 2022-04, Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory (GAEL).
    2. Simon Varaine & Raul Magni-Berton & Ismaël Benslimane & Paolo Crosetto, 2024. "Egoism and Altruism in Intergroup Conflict," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 68(2-3), pages 348-380, March.

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