From the outset, I’d like to apologise for the title of this blog post. The truth is, I won’t really be exploring the ethics of paying participants to take part in studies. There are far more qualified people on ethics committees who decide whether it is acceptable to financially reimburse or incentivise participation in research.
That being said, I read the above news article over breakfast yesterday and could not stop thinking about it all day. Ethical or not (I’ll leave that to the experts), we urgently need to understand more about incels and incel culture.
Understanding Incel Culture
Before exploring why, I want to highlight the journalists’ choice of words when summarising what an incel is:
Men who identify as incels forge a sense of identity around their perceived inability to form sexual or romantic relationships and can display high levels of misogyny that may slip into an endorsement of violence. (Emphasis my own.)
Recently, during an anti-radicalisation training session, I mentioned incels and realised that some participants were unfamiliar with the term. I had to provide a brief summary, hastily finishing with the caveat: “But it’s not as simple as that. Many incels do not necessarily pose a risk and may just enjoy elements of the culture, such as meme-sharing, lamenting their lack of relationships with others in the same predicament, and even laughing at themselves.”
The phrase “perceived inability to form sexual or romantic relationships” is key. Many incels have had past relationships or could have them if they wanted – just not with the women they desire. Many are obsessed with hierarchies of attractiveness, ranking themselves and others accordingly.
Interestingly, there are also female incels, known as ‘femcels,’ though they are fewer in number and not considered as much of a risk. While they may experience frustration or anger over their lack of romantic opportunities, research (although sparse) suggests they do not display the same levels of misandry or pose a risk of endorsing violence.
A Simplistic Solution?
Recently, my children (aged five and seven) walked past an unhoused man outside our local supermarket and later saw an abandoned house. With empathy and confusion, they suggested a simple solution: match the two up – problem solved.
It was disheartening to explain that, while logical, the issue is far more complex.
One might imagine a similar ‘matching up’ between incels and femcels: a group of men seeking relationships with women and a group of women seeking relationships with men. However, the key difference is the sense of entitlement and ownership over women’s bodies that many incels display.
Incels reserve their deepest rage for ‘Stacys’- women they consider to be at the top of the attractiveness hierarchy. Their anger stems from the perceived audacity of these women rejecting or ignoring them. Ironically, many incels exhibit the same rejection towards women they deem ‘low value’ on their own attractiveness scale.
The Ethical Dilemma
Returning to the article in question, another key aspect stands out:
Joe Whittaker, a lecturer at Swansea University who led the incel research with William Costello from the University of Texas at Austin, acknowledged that paying people who hold hateful views raises ethical questions but argued that the need for a broad sample “tips the ethical scales.”
He said: “All of research ethics is about trade-offs between two competing goods. You have this issue of a very hard-to-reach, difficult-to-research population. Trying to find a way into that is definitely good.”
It must be recognised that incels are a high-risk group – both in terms of the risks they face and the risks they pose to others. Most participants in the study were in their mid-20s and reported shockingly high rates of depression and suicidal ideation. One in five stated they had contemplated suicide every day for the past two weeks.
These men are still relatively young. Perhaps, had they received social opportunities and mental health support as teenagers, they would not have fallen into incel culture.
When we consider the risks posed BY incels, the statistics are stark:
Lewys Brace, a researcher from Exeter University noted that since 2014, over 50 cases of incel-related violence have been documented, from Elliot Rodger – who deemed himself the ‘Supreme Gentleman’ – to Jake Davison, who killed five people in Plymouth in 2021.
Why This Research Matters
We cannot assume that all self-proclaimed incels are dangerous, but we also cannot afford to underestimate this amorphous group. Research that helps us understand the thought processes behind these beliefs – and the journey from frustration to radicalisation – is crucial.
By identifying the stages young men go through, from feelings of rejection to sharing jokes and memes, to developing violent misogynistic beliefs, we may be able to intervene earlier. With better insight, we can support these young men – starting with mental health interventions and then addressing their perceived victimhood and anger.
Whether one considers it ethical or not to pay incels for their participation, it is worth noting that nearly a quarter of the research participants’ payment was donated to the men’s mental health charity, Movember.
Final Thoughts
The less we understand about incels, the more isolated they become, and the greater the risks – to themselves and others. We need to differentiate between those who pose a threat and ensure they receive the support needed to de-radicalise, and those who do not yet pose a risk but require help and understanding.
If compensating them for their time allows us to gain this vital knowledge, then perhaps, so be it.
