Incel identity and proclivity towards violence: exploring the roles of attachment, emotion regulation and social competence

Purpose Observational studies of “incel” communities document an increasingly violent discourse, raising concerns of online radicalisation. This study aims to examine whether incel identity is associated with a greater endorsement and proclivity for violence compared to non-incels, and whether attachment, emotion regulation and social competence predict incel identity. Design/methodology/approach An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with 222 male participants. Using two vignettes; one portraying intimate partner violence (IPV) and the other a mass shooting, participants were asked to what extent they endorsed the actions portrayed and whether they would act similarly if they knew they would not be caught (proclivity). Findings Attachment avoidance and poor emotional regulation significantly predicted incel identity, with the former increasing odds by 48% (OR = 1.48), and the latter by 5% (OR = 1.05). Attachment anxiety and social competence were not significant predictors. Self-identified incels were significantly more likely to endorse extremist violence (EV), but not IPV. They also reported greater proclivity towards IPV and EV. Research limitations/implications Whilst proclivity may not translate into real-world violence, and the small number of self-identified incels limits generalisability, future research should explore the potential benefits of targeting attachment and emotion-regulation in interventions with incels. Given incel communities operate globally, these psychological risk factors have important international relevance for prevention measures. Practical implications The findings have possible implications for informing interventions and prevention strategies for incels. Originality/value By distinguishing the type of insecure attachment style associated with incel identity and highlighting incels’ propensity for violence, this study contributes to a growing body of literature recognising incels as an online extremist group.