Political extremism is on the rise nationally, with far-right groups more frequently associated with acts of domestic terrorism. Despite this increase, the role of women's active involvement in far-right extremism continues to be downplayed. Therefore, less is known about what psychologically drives women to engage with domestic extremist networks. One such hypothesis is Significance Quest Theory, or SQT, which suggests that people’s behavior is motivated by their perceived personal significance, a need that can ultimately be exploited by extremist groups that promise members a sense of belonging and purpose.
Through the lens of the SQT framework, we aimed to understand the life experiences and psychological pathways that motivate conservative women to engage with and perpetuate far-right ideologies, and we presented these findings at the 2025 APA Conference.
