Social Justice Speaker Series Presents:
The Psychology of Extremism
Presenter: Bethany Rae Perryman
Date & Time: Â Thursday June 26, 2025 from 7:00PM – 8:00PM Eastern Daylight Time
Location: Live Via Zoom (Zoom Link: Emailed with ticket)
Zoom will require name and email address to enter the webinar.
Cost:
FREE to attend
FREE CE for CPA Members (Log into account to access discount!)
$15.00 CE Processing Fee for Non-members
Continuing Education: Â Eligible for 1 CE
Abstract:
Extremism is on the rise in the United States and globally, posing critical threats to democratic institutions, public discourse, and interpersonal relationships. In this session, B. Rae Perryman, scholar of strategic communications, offers a psychologically grounded framework for understanding modern extremism, focusing on its personal, cultural, and systemic roots.
Drawing from psychological research, real-world advocacy, and civil liberties expertise, Perryman will distinguish between political discourse and extremist ideology, examine motivational factors behind extremist behavior, and provide practical tools for civic resistance. The session will include a case study from Suffield, Connecticut involving extremists on a local library board, highlighting how extremism manifests in community settings and how it can be effectively addressed.
Participants will engage in an interactive practicum to reflect on personal values, consider their roles as civic actors, and explore ethical responses to extremism within professional and community contexts. A curated bibliography and literature review will also be shared to support continued learning. Robust discussion and Q&A will provide space to apply insights to contemporary civil rights, First Amendment, and APA-related issues.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
- Define extremism from psychological and cultural perspectives, distinguish it from legitimate political discourse, and identify at least three core characteristics with examples of how they manifest in individuals, systems, and cultural contexts across clinical and non-clinical settings.
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Analyze a case study of extremism in Suffield, CT, and identify three principled strategies for identifying, exposing, and addressing extremist actions in civic settings
- Identify three effects of extremism on civic life, professional relationships, and access to equitable healthcare and mental health services. Â Develop three personal strategies and community-based responses for resisting extremism, including values-driven civic engagement.
Research Citations
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Beelmann, Andreas.  “A Social-Developmental Model of Radicalization: A Systematic Integration of Existing Theories and Empirical Research” https://www.ijcv.org/index.php/ijcv/article/view/3778/3843
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Bélanger, J. J., Moyano, M., Muhammad, H. A., & Nisa, C. F. (2020). The psychology of violent extremism: A review of explanatory models. Psychological Review, 127(3), 330–356. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000260
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Borum, R. (2014). Psychology of terrorism and radicalization: Vulnerabilities in mindsets. Retrieved from https://www.psychceu.com/terrorism/Borum-Vulnerabilities.pdf
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Ferguson, N., & McAuley, J. W. (2020). Radicalization or reaction: Understanding engagement in violent extremism in northern Ireland. Political Psychology, 41(2), 215–230. doi:10.1111/pops.12618
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Hogg, M. A., & Blaylock, D. L. (Eds.). (2012). Extremism and the psychology of uncertainty.
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Kruglanski, A. W., Gelfand, M. J., Bélanger, J. J., Sheveland, A., Hetiarachchi, M., & Gunaratna, R. (2014). The psychology of radicalization and deradicalization: How significance quest impacts violent extremism. Political Psychology, 35(S1), 69–93. doi:10.1111/pops.12163
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Lafree, G., Jensen, M. A., James, P. A., & Safer-Lichtenstein, A. (2018). Correlates of violent political extremism in the United States. Criminology; an Interdisciplinary Journal, 56(2), 233–268. doi:10.1111/1745-9125.12169
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Loza, W. (2007). The psychology of extremism and terrorism: A Middle Eastern perspective. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12(2), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2006.09.001
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Pickett, J. T., & Roche, S. P. (2024). Extremism and the criminal legal system. Annual Review of Criminology, 7, 101–119. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-criminol-022422-121713
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Seyle, D. C. (2007). Understanding psychological factors in terrorism and extremism (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas at Austin). University of Texas Libraries. https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/17f6c7f6-1dbe-47a9-8bd0-0aa0a441f395/content
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Stephens, W., Sieckelinck, S., & Boutellier, H. (2021). Preventing violent extremism: A review of the literature. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 44(4), 346–361. doi:10.1080/1057610x.2018.1543144
Presenter Biography
Bethany “B” Rae Perryman
Perryman was named one of Editor & Publisher’s “Top 25 Under 35” rising stars in the news industry. She has also worked for Drug Policy Alliance, The Writer’s Center, The National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation, and other national advocacy organizations. Perryman is a dedicated harm reductionist, as well as an award-winning academic, writer, journalist, and filmmaker. She has contributed to national activism efforts such as activating protests of draconian drug policies at the Department of Justice and organization of The Science March in Washington, D.C.
She has a B.A. in philosophy from Baylor University and an M.A. in Communication & Advocacy with a concentration in Strategic Communications from James Madison University, where her quantitative thesis on Gen Z’s perceptions and attitudes about American democracy won the Graduate School Award for Civic Engagement. She recently co-authored a paper on crisis communication theory published in Public Relations Review. Her academic interests include pragmatism, systems theories, consciousness, and strategic communication.
Through advocacy in statehouses and streets, and education initiatives, Perryman prioritizes impact. She believes in creative pathways and delivering tangible results to those doing the work and the people most impacted by systemic disadvantages. Her personal interests include harm reduction in all forms, anti-racism, separation of church and state, public education, voting and civil rights, meditative practices, and a lifelong devotion to the arts.
Post-Webinar Evaluation Form:
Post-webinar evaluation form will be provided during the event and must be completed to receive a Continuing Education (CE) certificate.
Continuing Education Approval:
The Connecticut Psychological Association (CPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. CPA maintains responsibility for the program and its content. CPA will issue certificates of completion. APA CE rules require that we only issue credits to those who attend the entire workshop. Those logging into the Zoom webinar more than 15 minutes late or logging off before the entire workshop is completed will not receive CE credits (i.e., partial CE credit will not be issued).
Accommodations Request: Â Zoom Closed Captions: Live audio captions are accessible for this event. If you need additional disability-related accommodations, please contact us by email at info@connpsych.org or by phone (860) 404-0333. Requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of the workshop date.
CPA Refund Policy: Participants may direct questions to CPA by email at info@connpsych.org or by phone at (860) 404-0333. Registrants may cancel and receive a full refund up to two-weeks in advance of the workshop date. Â An administrative fee of $30 will be charged for cancellation of registration within two weeks of the workshop date (Social Justice events will not be charged an administrative fee). Please note, no refunds will be granted within 24 hours of the workshop date.
CPA GRIEVANCE POLICY:
The Connecticut Psychological Association (CPA) is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists. The CPA will comply with all legal and ethical guidelines for non-discrimination in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of CE participants.  While the CPA strives to assure fair treatment for all participants and to anticipate problems before they occur, occasionally grievances may be filed. In cases where a participant files a written or oral grievance, the following actions are taken:
If the grievance concerns the content of the workshop a CPA representative will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the CPA will either provide a credit for a subsequent CE offering or provide a partial or full refund of the CE fee already paid. Â Actions involving a credit or a refund will require a written note documenting the grievance for record-keeping purposes. The aggrieved individual need not sign the note. If the grievance specifically concerns the CPA, the CPA will attempt to arbitrate.
Direct correspondence to: The Connecticut Psychological Association, P.O. Box #1167, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 or by email to executivedirector@connpsych.org.
