Social and psychological characteristics of the individual involved in extremist activities

The article defines extremism, examines the types of extremism, psychological aspects associated with extremist actions: psychological personality traits of extremists, reasons and factors that push people to commit such actions, as well as mechanisms that allow extremist groups and terrorist organizations to attract new supporters. The article analyzes the mechanisms of formation of an extremist personality, considers gender, age, professional, social characteristics of an extremist personality. The types of personality of extremists are given. This article reveals the factors influencing the emergence of extremist manifestations among young people, such as the vulnerability of young people in the context of economic and social instability in Russian society, as well as the difficulty of vertical social mobility in Russian society, increasing property stratification and significantly limited access to social resources for young people.