Clark McCauley
Specific Research Areas
Stereotyping and essentializing, group identification and intergroup conflict, terrorism and genocide
Research Synopsis
His research interests include stereotypes and the psychology of group identification, group dynamics and intergroup conflict, and the psychological foundations of ethnic conflict and genocide. With colleagues he edited The Psychology of Ethnic and Cultural Conflict (2004), and with Dan Chirot he is author of Why Not Kill Them All? The Logic and Prevention of Mass Political Murder (Princeton University Press, 2006). With Sophia Moskalenko he is author of Friction: How Radicalization Happens to Them and Us (Oxford University Press, 2011). He is a consultant and reviewer for the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation for research on dominance, aggression and violence, and founding editor of the journal Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict published by Taylor and Francis
Social Psychology 208
Ethnic Identity and Ethnopolitical Conflict 358
Psychology of Genocide 125; Psychology of Terrorism 120
BS, Providence College;
Ph.D., Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
McCauley, C., & Moskalenko, S. (in press). Toward a profile of lone-wolf terrorists: What moves an individual from radical opinion to radical action? Terrorism and Political Violence.
Seifert, K., & McCauley, C. (in press). Suicide bombers in Iraq, 2003-2010: Disaggregating targets can reveal insurgent motives and priorities. Terrorism and Political Violence.
McCauley, C. (2013). Intergroup conflict. In H. Pashler (ed.), Encyclopedia of the Mind, Volume 1 (432-434). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
McCauley, C., Moskalenko, S. & Van Son, B. (2013). Characteristics of lone-wolf violent offenders: A comparison of assassins and school attackers. Perspectives on Terrorism, 7(1), 4-24.
Lee, Y.T., Jussim, L., & McCauley, C. (2013). Stereotypes as categories of knowledge: Complexity, validity, usefulness, and essence in perceptions of group differences. Advances in Psychological Science, 21(1), 1-21. http://118.145.16.229:81/Jweb_xlkxjz/EN/volumn/next.shtml
Karagiannis, E. & McCauley, C. (2013).The emerging Red-Green Alliance: Where political Islam meets the radical left. Terrorism and Political Violence, 25, 167-182. .
McCauley C. (2012). Extremes of asymmetric conflict: terrorism and genocide. In Daniel J. Christie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology, first edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470672532.wbepp052
McCauley, C. (2012). Testing theories of radicalization in polls of U.S. Muslims. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 12(1), 296-311.
McCauley, C. (2012). Fighting over history. Editor’s Introduction to Special Section, “Fighting over history.” Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict, 5(2), 96-100.
McCauley, C. (2012). Politically motivated violent extremism. In C. Leuprecht, T. Hataley, & K.R. Nossal (Eds.), Evolving transnational threats and border security: A new research agenda, pp. 85-96. Kingston, Ontario: Centre for International and Defence Policy, Queens University.
McCauley, C. (2011), Muslim World Outreach: The United States intervenes in religious Identity. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 10: no. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-2415.2011.01233.x
McCauley, C. & Scheckter, S. (2011). Reactions to the war on terrorism: Origin-group differences in the 2007 Pew Poll of U.S. Muslims. Perspectives on Terrorism, 5(1), 38-54.
Turcan, M., and McCauley, C. (2010). Boomerang: Opinion versus action in the radicalization of Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict, 3: 1, 14-31,
Leuprecht, C., Hataley, T., Moskalenko, S., & McCauley, C. (2010). Containing the narrative: Strategy and tactics in countering the storyline of global Jihad. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 5(1), 40-55.
Maoz, I., Freedman, G., & McCauley, C. (2010). Fled or expelled: Representation of Israeli-Arab conflict in U.S. history books. Peace and Conflict, 16, 1-10.
Leuprecht, C., Hataley, T., Moskalenko, S., & McCauley, C. (2010). Narratives and counter-narratives for global jihad: Opinion versus action. Pp. 58-71 in Eelco J.A.M. Kessels (Ed.), Countering violent extremist narratives. Breda, The Netherlands: National Coordinator for Counterterrorism (NCTb). http://english.nctb.nl/Images/Countering%20Violent%20Extremist%20Narratives_tcm92-259489.pdf?cp=92&cs=25496
McCauley, C., & Moskalenko, S. (2010). Individual and group mechanisms of radicalization. In L. Fenstermacher, L. Kuznar, T. Rieger, & A. Speckhard (Eds.), Protecting the homeland from international and domestic security threats: Current multidisciplinary perspectives on root causes, the role of ideology, and programs for counter-radicalization and disengagement. Washington, D.C.: Topical multi-layer assessment (SMA) multi-agency and Air Force research laboratory multi-disciplinary white papers in support of counter-terrorism and counter-WMD.
Maoz, I., & McCauley, C. (2009). Threat perceptions and feelings as predictors of Jewish-Israeli support for compromise with Palestinians. Journal of Peace Research, 46(4), 525-539.