The Social Contagion of Hatred: How Beliefs Spread and What We Can Do About It

Rhea Morgan in Culture & Society December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unraveling the dynamics of hate in social networks and exploring strategies to combat its emergence in the digital age."

In an era defined by unprecedented connectivity, the rapid dissemination of information has become a double-edged sword. While the internet and social media platforms offer unparalleled opportunities for education and awareness, they also serve as fertile ground for the propagation of harmful ideologies, including hatred. Understanding how these beliefs take root and spread is crucial for fostering more inclusive and tolerant societies.

Traditional models often attribute the spread of misinformation and harmful beliefs to a lack of cognitive capacity or flawed information structures. However, this perspective overlooks a critical component: the psychological utility that individuals derive from holding certain beliefs. Sometimes, the barrier to truth isn't ignorance, but the comfort or perceived benefit gained from embracing a particular worldview, regardless of its veracity.

Hatred, in this context, can be seen as a belief system that provides psychological utility to those who subscribe to it. This utility might stem from a desire to blame, a need to belong, or a quest for self-esteem. By understanding the psychological drivers behind hate, we can develop more effective strategies to combat its spread.

The Utilitarian Model of Hatred: How Psychological Needs Fuel Prejudice

Fractured Social Network with Spreading Vines and Threads of Light

A groundbreaking approach to understanding the spread of hatred lies in viewing it as a utilitarian belief—one that individuals adopt because it serves a psychological purpose. This perspective, rooted in psychological and anthropological research, suggests that hatred isn't simply a matter of ignorance or misinformation, but a belief system that fulfills certain needs. These needs include the desire to blame a specific group for societal problems, the yearning for belonging within a social circle, and the bolstering of one's self-esteem by denigrating others.

The rise of hate crimes and scapegoating during times of crisis underscores the allure of such beliefs. When societies face economic hardship, pandemics, or social upheaval, the temptation to identify a specific group as the source of the problem becomes powerful. This blame can act as a psychological release valve, channeling frustration and anxiety toward a designated target. The process isn't random; scapegoated groups often share characteristics that make them vulnerable targets: minority status, perceived difference, or historical association with misfortune.

The Desire to Blame: Scapegoating allows individuals to externalize blame for negative events, shielding themselves from feelings of guilt or responsibility.
The Need to Belong: Hatred can foster a sense of solidarity within a group, strengthening social bonds and providing a sense of identity.
The Quest for Self-Esteem: Denigrating others can inflate one's sense of self-worth, creating a false sense of superiority.

However, hatred is not simply about individual psychology; it’s a social phenomenon shaped by network effects. Individuals are more likely to embrace hateful beliefs when surrounded by others who share those beliefs. This creates echo chambers where prejudice is amplified, and dissenting voices are silenced. The structure of social networks, the flow of information, and the influence of leaders all play a crucial role in determining the prevalence and intensity of hatred within a community.

Towards a More Tolerant Future: Strategies for Combating Hate

Combating hate requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both the psychological and social dimensions of the problem. While misinformation campaigns can play a role, they are often insufficient to counter the deeply ingrained needs that drive individuals to embrace hateful beliefs. A more effective strategy involves increasing the cost associated with holding racist or prejudiced beliefs, promoting empathy and understanding, and fostering inclusive social environments. This might include implementing stricter legal penalties for hate crimes, challenging prejudiced narratives in the media, and promoting educational initiatives that celebrate diversity and foster critical thinking.

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This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2401.07178,

Title: Utilitarian Beliefs In Social Networks: Explaining The Emergence Of Hatred

Subject: econ.th

Authors: Houda Nait El Barj, Theophile Sautory

Published: 13-01-2024

Everything You Need To Know

How does the concept of psychological utility explain the persistence of hateful beliefs, even when they are demonstrably false?

Psychological utility suggests that individuals adopt hateful beliefs because these beliefs fulfill certain psychological needs. These needs can include the desire to blame a specific group for societal problems, the yearning for belonging within a social circle that shares those beliefs, and the bolstering of one's self-esteem by denigrating others. Even when confronted with evidence that contradicts these beliefs, individuals may cling to them because they continue to derive psychological comfort or benefit from doing so. This perspective contrasts with models that attribute the spread of misinformation solely to a lack of cognitive capacity or flawed information structures, highlighting the importance of addressing the underlying psychological motivations behind hate.

In what ways can hatred be understood as a 'utilitarian belief', and what are some examples of the psychological needs it fulfills?

Hatred can be viewed as a 'utilitarian belief' because individuals adopt it to serve a psychological purpose or fulfill a need. Some of the key psychological needs that hatred can fulfill include the desire to blame, the need to belong, and the quest for self-esteem. For example, scapegoating allows individuals to externalize blame for negative events, shielding themselves from feelings of guilt or responsibility. Hatred can also foster a sense of solidarity within a group, strengthening social bonds and providing a sense of identity. Additionally, denigrating others can inflate one's sense of self-worth, creating a false sense of superiority. These utilities reinforce the adoption and spread of hateful ideologies.

How do social networks contribute to the spread and amplification of hatred, and what role do echo chambers play in this process?

Social networks play a crucial role in the spread and amplification of hatred by creating environments where individuals are primarily exposed to like-minded people and beliefs. This leads to the formation of echo chambers, where prejudiced views are reinforced, and dissenting opinions are silenced. Within these echo chambers, individuals are more likely to embrace hateful beliefs due to social influence and the perceived validation of their views by others. The structure of social networks, the flow of information, and the influence of leaders all contribute to determining the prevalence and intensity of hatred within a community. The network effects can overpower individual beliefs promoting wide adoption.

What are some effective strategies for combating hate that go beyond simply providing accurate information and debunking misinformation?

Combating hate requires a multifaceted approach that addresses both the psychological and social dimensions of the problem, going beyond misinformation campaigns. Effective strategies include increasing the cost associated with holding hateful beliefs through stricter legal penalties for hate crimes, challenging prejudiced narratives in the media, and promoting educational initiatives that celebrate diversity and foster critical thinking. Additionally, promoting empathy and understanding can help to counter the psychological needs that drive individuals to embrace hateful beliefs. Fostering inclusive social environments and disrupting echo chambers can also help to reduce the spread of hatred within social networks.

How does the desire to blame relate to the concept of scapegoating, and why is scapegoating more likely to occur during times of crisis or social upheaval?

The desire to blame is a fundamental psychological need that underlies the concept of scapegoating. Scapegoating involves identifying a specific group as the source of problems, allowing individuals to externalize blame for negative events and shield themselves from feelings of guilt or responsibility. This process is more likely to occur during times of crisis or social upheaval because these situations create heightened levels of anxiety, frustration, and uncertainty. The temptation to identify a specific group as the cause of these problems becomes powerful as a psychological release valve, channeling negative emotions toward a designated target. Scapegoated groups often share characteristics that make them vulnerable targets, such as minority status, perceived difference, or historical association with misfortune.