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Updated: Jul 27, 2025
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Published on: September 28, 2018
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Transcultural pathways to the will to fight
Ángel Gómez1,2, Alexandra Vázquez1,2, Scott Atran1,3,4
1Artis International, Saint Michaels, MD 21663.
Summary
Understanding the will to fight requires examining psychosocial factors. Research reveals that identity fusion, spiritual formidability, and trust predict willingness to fight and make sacrifices in conflict.
Area of Science:
- Social and psychological sciences
- Behavioral science
- Conflict studies
Background:
- Congressional attention to the "Will to Fight Act" in 2022 highlighted the need for better assessment of the will to fight.
- Existing evaluation efforts are fragmented and insufficient, leading to policy failures.
- Social and psychological science research offers crucial insights into the will to fight.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and illustrate psychosocial pathways predicting the will to fight.
- To test a mediation model of transcultural pathways to the will to fight.
- To apply findings to diverse populations and ongoing conflicts.
Main Methods:
- Multimethod and multicultural approach using 31 studies across 9 countries with nearly 12,000 participants.
- Inclusion of diverse groups: people in longstanding conflicts, refugees, jihadists, gangs, US military, and Ukrainian populations (pre- and during war).
- Data collection through field and online studies in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
Main Results:
- Converging data reveal specific psychosocial pathways that predict willingness to make costly sacrifices, including fighting and dying.
- Evidence supports a mediation model of transcultural pathways to the will to fight.
- Key mediators identified: identity fusion, perceived spiritual formidability, and trust.
Conclusions:
- The findings support a variation of "The Devoted Actor Framework" applicable across cultures.
- Identity fusion, spiritual formidability, and trust are critical linear mediators of the will to fight.
- Understanding these psychosocial factors is essential for addressing policy failures and reducing costs associated with conflict.
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