Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 12/05/2026Over the past eight years, LGBTQ+ communities have demonstrated remarkable resilience. While the perceived possibility of progressive change has steadily decreased, the strength of their social identity has only continued to grow. 042
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 08/04/2026Fascinating study on Russian public opinion from August 2022. Researchers caught a rare window for an independent survey before the platform was shut down to academic polling. They found that 69% of respondents construed the war as undermining their social values. A vital look behind the propaganda. 040
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Following this is group integration, where individuals are absorbed into extremist networks, a process increasingly reinforced by generative AI and bot swarms. This trajectory ultimately sets the stage for violent extremist action. 100
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Next, during reinforcement, algorithms create filter bubbles that leverage biases and strengthen extremist beliefs. 120
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 25/03/2026The framework maps the socio-technical architecture across four distinct stages. It begins with exposure, where recommender systems and virality metrics push users toward extreme content. 100
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 25/03/2026How exactly does artificial intelligence drive individuals toward violent extremism? I am excited to share our recent publication in Personality and Social Psychology Review, "Intelligent Systems, Vulnerable Minds: A Framework for Radicalization to Violence in the Age of AI." 172
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 24/03/2026Crucially, only offensive intentions were consistently associated with macrolevel societal dysfunction, such as political terror and internal conflicts. This suggests that preventing radicalization requires tailored interventions rather than uniform strategies. 112
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 24/03/2026Individuals high in machiavellianism and narcissism showed stronger inclinations toward defensive extremism. On the other hand, social dominance orientation and religious fundamentalism were more strongly linked to offensive extremism. 100
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 24/03/2026What really drives someone to support violent extremism? I am thrilled to share our new article published today in PNAS. Together with an incredible team of collaborators, we conducted a preregistered study across 58 countries with over 18,000 participants. This is what we found. 13016
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 23/02/2026Anthropic trains its models on the entire internet without paying for it. Also Anthropic: 144
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 16/02/2026The Core Mechanism: 🤖 The Tech: A central "organizer" sends a directive. An AI multiplier generates thousands of unique, style-matched captions. 👨 The Human: Real, verified users review and click "post". 173
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 16/02/2026The distinction between grassroots activism and automated influence is collapsing. We typically worry about "bot farms" or "troll factories." But a distinct, more complex threat is emerging. We call it "Cyborg Propaganda." 12521
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 14/01/2026Resilience or Complacency? While Republicans reported a steady increase in well-being during the start of Trump’s second term, Democrats showed a "rebound" pattern. Does returning to a higher state of well-being provide the strength to persist or reflect complacency? Study link in comments. 101
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 13/01/2026Many D&I strategies fail because they assume a "one size fits all" mindset. New data-driven research identifies 5 different response types to D&I policies: Champions, Reluctants, Ambivalents, Bystanders, and Opponents. Link to paper in comments. 100
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 12/01/2026From the U.S. and Thailand to Hong Kong and Australia, new research confirms a consistent "backfire effect." When counter-protesters use violence to silence a progressive movement, they don't crush it—they amplify it. Full article (open access): advances.in/psychology/1... 021
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 08/09/2025🚀Just released my first R package on CRAN: LLMTranslate! Automates forward–back survey translations w/ LLMs, including reconciliation + change logs. No more weeks of manual reviews. cran.r-project.org/web/packages... 091
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 28/07/2025Thrilled to share that The Cambridge Handbook of the Psychology of Violent Extremism is now available. Milan Obaidi's and my goal was to create the book we missed as students—a complete overview over every major perspective in the field. 13416
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 13/03/2025Our commentary on emotion-conspiracy theory frameworks was just published! While @lpummerer.bsky.social et al.'s AMCT model is excellent, we show mathematically how model complexity exponentially decreases cross-cultural replicability. Thanks @igi.bsky.social for the invitation! 142
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 04/11/2023Apparently, I suffer from a sleep disorder there is no treatment for. 030
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 29/10/2023Contrary to our expectations, in a new paper published in GPIR, we find that people across various cultures seem more likely to mentally represent a "typical person" as a woman than as a man. The article is available open access at journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... 34218
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 15/10/2023Everything looks like the radical right has lost the election in Poland despite blatant attempts to manipulate the results! They will be replaced by a left-centrist government. A great day for Europe! 1303
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 13/10/2023😦This is so insane. The ruling Polish government tied a referendum to the coming general election, clearly intended to prime a threat perception that drives people toward voting right-wing. Every voter receives the questions when casting their general vote. These are the questions. 175
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 24/09/2023Also noteworthy that many of the authors profit financially from this unproven "stress hypothesis." It is wild. 0162
Jonas R. Kunst @kunstjonas.bsky.social · 24/09/2023The unscientific gaslighting of #MECFS & #LongCovid patients continues. I have asked these individuals to provide me with research showing that a "persistent stress response" is causative for the disease. They could not provide it. Some people are hopelessly stuck in the past. 34110