A Three-Dimensional Group Dynamics Framework Behind the U.S. Capitol Hill Insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021

Abstract

As a product of deepening economic, social and political polarization in the United States, the Capitol Hill insurrection happened on Jan. 6 has brought unprecedented challenges to American political traditions and institutional operations. Compared to Chinese academia, foreign academics have conducted more systematic research on its background, but the group dynamics underlying the event still needs to be further explored. In this regard, this paper takes Trump’s speeches on the day of the Capitol Hill insurrection and the interviews of those arrested as objects, and uses social psychological analysis to explore the group dynamics mechanism behind the 2021 Capitol Hill insurrection. Through the paper, it is found that the discursive interactions between Trump and his supporters embody the group dynamics mechanism of empathic projection and emotional resonance, thus completing the process of contagion of threat perception, mobilization of identity, rationalization of behavior, and ultimately transforming the peaceful protests into a group violence event.