Title: Study the impact of religious fundamentalism and the psychological effect of extremism and terrorism in diverse religions

Authors: Ajay Sharma; Karunika Sharma; Anil Kumar Tewari

Addresses: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir 182320, India ' Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jagti, Jammu and Kashmir 181221, India ' School of Philosophy and Culture, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir 182320, India

Abstract: India is considered a well-known secular democracy in the universe with the present context of growing religious extremism and terrorism. Most of the research examines whether the fundamentalism/sexism association differs between genders, nor explores whether individual-level measures of fundamentalism are more likely applicable to personal beliefs that lead to extremism and terrorism. This research finds the impact of religious fundamentalism and beliefs of specific religions tends to religious extremism and terrorism. The study collected data from 500 members of different religious groups randomly in India. Further, study the psychological variables associated with terrorism and extremism groups using a prospective survey on various religions. In addition, the source for extremism and terrorism with the fundamentalism of the religion has also been characterised. The findings demonstrated the validity of the expected pathways, confirming that it is important to consider the role of collective terrorism when studying relationships between religious fundamentalism and beliefs.

Keywords: religious fundamentalism; religiosity; extremism; terrorism; rationalism; secularism; religious beliefs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2025.150910

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2025 Vol.17 No.4, pp.370 - 391

Received: 07 Jan 2023
Accepted: 11 May 2024
Published online: 05 Jan 2026 *

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