Episode Summary Incel Communities & when this becomes violent Who was talking? Dr Catrin Williams (Forensic Psychologist) Show notes In this episode of The Indictable Podcast, forensic psychologist Dr Catrin Williams examines the psychology of the incel movement—not simply to condemn or ridicule its members, but to understand how loneliness, rejection, identity and online communities can combine to create a deeply harmful ideology. The episode traces the term’s origins in an inclusive support community before exploring the modern incel worldview, including appearance-based hierarchies, “Chads” and “Stacys,” sexual entitlement, misogyny, the red pill and the fatalistic black pill. Catrin considers the roles of dating-app experiences, rejection sensitivity, poor mental health, low self-esteem and profound social isolation, alongside the sense of belonging that incel forums can provide. She also examines echo chambers, the mythologising of violent attackers, sexual frustration theory and the psychological processes through which grievance may escalate into radicalisation or violence—while emphasising that identifying as an incel does not automatically make someone violent. References and Reading Andersen, J. C. (2024). To alleviate stigma: How incels negotiate masculinity online. Men and Masculinities, 27(5), 472–491. https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X241285447 Brooks, R. C., Russo-Batterham, D., & Blake, K. R. (2022). Incel activity on social media linked to local mating ecology. Psychological Science, 33(2), 249–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976211036065 Dunn, M. J., & Hill, A. (2014). Manipulated luxury-apartment ownership enhances opposite-sex attraction in females but not males. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 12(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1556/JEP.12.2014.1.1 Hanson, R. K., & Morton-Bourgon, K. E. (2005). The characteristics of persistent sexual offenders: A meta-analysis of recidivism studies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(6), 1154–1163. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.73.6.1154 Lankford, A. (2021). A sexual frustration theory of aggression, violence, and crime. Journal of Criminal Justice, 77, Article 101865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2021.101865 Lindsay, A. (2022). Swallowing the black pill: Involuntary celibates’ (incels) anti-feminism within digital society. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 11(1), 210–224. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.2138 Matter, D., Schirmer, M., Grinberg, N., & Pfeffer, J. (2024). Investigating the increase of violent speech in incel communities with human-guided GPT-4 prompt iteration. Frontiers in Social Psychology, 2, Article 1383152. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsps.2024.1383152 Moskalenko, S., Fernández-Garayzábal González, J., Kates, N., & Morton, J. (2022). Incel ideology, radicalization and mental health: A survey study. The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict, and Warfare, 4(3), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.21810/jicw.v4i3.3817 Rhodes, G. (2006). The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 199–226. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190208 Sparks, B., Zidenberg, A. M., & Olver, M. E. (2022). Involuntary celibacy: A review of incel ideology and experiences with dating, rejection, and associated mental health and emotional sequelae. Current Psychiatry Reports, 24(12), 731–740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-022-01382-9 Sparks, B., Zidenberg, A. M., & Olver, M. E. (2024a). An exploratory study of incels’ dating app experiences, mental health, and relational well-being. The Journal of Sex Research, 61(7), 1001–1012. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2023.2249775 Sparks, B., Zidenberg, A. M., & Olver, M. E. (2024b). One is the loneliest number: Involuntary celibacy (incel), mental health, and loneliness. Current Psychology, 43(1), 392–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04275-z Speckhard, A., Ellenberg, M., Morton, J., & Ash, A. (2021). Involuntary celibates’ experiences of and grievance over sexual exclusion and the potential threat of violence among those active in an online incel forum. Journal of Strategic Security, 14(2), 89–121. https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.14.2.1910 Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 2018 Toronto van attack. In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 16, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Toronto_van_attack Content warnings and Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests and do not represent the official positions of any organisation or professional body. This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as psychological advice or a substitute for professional consultation. While efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information shared, psychological concepts and case details are simplified for discussion. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental unless explicitly stated. The hosts and guests will never discuss any details of individual cases or locations that they have personally worked with or within. Vague personal and professional experiences may be shared as part of discussions, but considerable details will have been changed to ensure that there is no identifiable information to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. There will be no discussion on any current or ongoing cases in the United Kingdom, not any cases from the United Kingdom unless they are historical and fully resolved. All discussions adhere to HCPC and BPS ethical guidelines regarding confidentiality, professional boundaries and responsible communication of psychological information. Listener discretion is advice, as some topics may contain descriptions of violence trauma and other sensitive content. Get in touch at indictablepodcast@gmail.com Where to find me! (Please follow x) @indictablepodcast on Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook www.indictablepodcast.com