TERRORISM COGNITION AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM AS INFLUENCED BY CULTURAL ORIENTATION AND SOCIAL ANXIETY: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF EASTERN AND NORTHERN NIGERIAN SAMPLES

Abstract

This study investigated Terrorism Cognition and Violent Extremism as influencedby Cultural Orientation and Social Anxiety in Nigerian, using 200 Northern Nigerian Samples,and 200 Eastern Nigerian Samples. Design was cross-sectional, with MANOVA and descriptivestatistics. Findings: Terrorism Cognition, and Violent Extremism are significantly influenced byCultural Orientation, and Social Anxiety, which differ significantly for Eastern and NorthernNigerian samples; Terrorism cognition as significantly influenced by Cultural Orientation (P≤.05≥ .015 & .019; P≤ .001 ≥ .000), and Social Anxiety (p≤ .05≥ .038 & .014; p≤ .001 ≥ .000) isabove average for Northern samples, but below average for Eastern samples; Knowledge ofViolent Extremism as significantly influenced by Cultural Orientation (P≤ .05≥ .036), and SocialAnxiety (P≤ .05≥ .021 & .015) is above average for Eastern samples, but below average forNorthern samples. Recommendation: Counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism policies in Nigeriashould incorporate rebranding cultural and social values (systems).