[10] His concept of double reification describes the process of Western culture being exported to the modern sector of non-Western societies, then being 'discovered' by cross-cultural researchers and reported as a 'universal.
[19] He has also worked to establish an empirical basis for universal human rights,[20] and to explain the rise and fall of dictatorships through his springboard model.
Although Moghaddam was initially trained as an experimental researcher using the minimal group paradigm (Henri Tajfel was his PhD thesis examiner), he has also used qualitative methods, collaborating with Rom Harré on positioning theory [22][23] and exploring the role of language in conflicts.
Drawing from well‑established psychological principles, in his book 'Mutual Radicalization' Moghaddam presents a dynamic, cyclical three‑stage model of mutual radicalization that explains how groups gather under extremist ideologies, establish rigid norms under authoritarian leadership, and develop antagonistic worldviews that exaggerate the threats posed by each other.
Moghaddam applies his model to 10 real‑world case studies of mutual radicalization that focus on three main areas: the conflict between Islamist radicals and extreme nationalists in the West; nations that are mired in long-standing hostilities, including North Korea and South Korea; and the increasingly toxic atmosphere in American politics.