The September 2022 special issueopens in new window of Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice presents important and timely articles on the U.S. Capitol insurrection from researchers in the group dynamics field. Guest editors Verlin B. Hinsz and Jay W. Jackson share their key takeaways.
What is the special issue about?
The January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 was a shocking and historical event. When it occurred, there were many calls to explain what had happened and questions about how to understand the insurrection and what led to it. Theories, conceptualizations, and research from the field of group dynamics are clearly relevant for explaining and understanding the events related to the insurrection. To that end, this special issue brings together a wide array of researchers with expertise in group dynamics to provide their unique perspectives, based on theoretical and conceptual orientations, regarding the events of January 6. By sharing insights from a number of unique and integrated viewpoints, it possible to offer a more comprehensive and robust description of how group dynamics affected the antecedents, activities, and consequences of the insurrection. In particular, the special issue draws on dynamic social impact theory, person–situation interactionism, emergent norm theory, focus theory, communication models, intergroup dialogue, models of crowd behavior, and motivational systems. Moreover, a number of additional principles from the field of group dynamics, such as group polarization, shared social realities, interpersonal conflict, and groupthink, provide the bases for additional revelations about and understanding of the insurrection.
What is the significance of the issue?
The events of January 6 at the U.S. Capitol were unprecedented. Many people are still trying to come to terms with the events associated with the insurrection. This is demonstrated by the investigation and hearings of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. This special issue applies the theories, principles, and perspectives of group dynamics to help the field and the public understand how these events developed and played out and what the subsequent ramifications might be. In this regard, the special issue provides the unique psychological perspective to understand and explain the public issues and events. Moreover, it draws special attention to aspects of the events that the field of group dynamics can uniquely address. The articles in the special issue offer a diverse set of viewpoints while collectively providing a robust basis for understanding and explaining aspects of the insurrection.
Tell us about a few key takeaways.
A lot about the insurrection can be explained and understood on the basis of research and conceptualizations from group dynamics, group psychology, small group phenomena, and group processes. The articles in the special issue highlight a number of key points, such as the following:
- Affective polarization—that is, the feelings one has toward one’s ingroup and outgroup—has become much more partisan in the recent past, which contributed to a number of the processes apparent in the insurrection.
- The role of social media as a mode of communication promoting divisive perspectives of issues and events is readily apparent in much of the evidence related to the insurrection.
- In hindsight, processes associated with hostile groups and crowds could have presaged that violence and aggression would be the likely results of the rallies in Washington, DC, on January 6.
- A breakdown of some social norms and the interpersonal dialogue associated with public discourse shaped the startling events of the insurrection. In general, the special issue demonstrates that a wide variety of group-related principles and perspectives were at work in the events associated with the insurrection.
What are some practical implications of the articles featured in the issue?
The special issue is packed with recommendations for how to prepare for, intervene, and remediate the types of group phenomena associated with the insurrection. For example, the article by Miles and Shinewopens in new window describes how intergroup dialogue could be one basis for the polarization that contributed to the insurrection as well as a remedy for this polarization if people can find common ground, have meaningful contact, and be empathetic toward others who are perceived to be the opposition. In addition, Samuelsonopens in new window particularly focuses on how the U.S. Capitol Police were attacked by the insurrectionists and what can be learned from a conceptual and theoretical perspective to help first responders better prepare for similar incidents that might occur in the future. The coeditors’ concluding article of the special issue describes a number of recommendations for responding to similar situations. For example, a social norms approach can be applied to reduce the misperceptions of outgroup members so that these others are seen as not having beliefs and values that are extremely divergent from those of one’s ingroup. Moreover, reducing false beliefs about a different party’s positions can help to reduce the polarization that contributed to the insurrection and related activities prior to and including January 6. Additionally, by drawing on established research on superordinate goals, it is possible to highlight the superordinate values among Americans to mitigate the interpersonal strife associated with the partisan conflict visible at the insurrection. The other articles in the special issue offer additional recommendations and insights derived from their authors’ own conceptual perspectives.
This article is in the Social Psychology and Social Processes topic area. View more articles in the Social Psychology and Social Processes topic area.