News New Swansea University study reveals ‘key insights’ into the incel community - It’s said to be the most ‘comprehensive’ research ever done on incels

[Oneitiscel]

https://thetab.com/2025/05/28/new-s...reveals-key-insights-into-the-incel-community

A new study conducted by Swansea University and the University of Texas in Austin has provided new insights into the characteristics and challenging stereotypes of the incel (involuntary celibate) community.

The study’s sample consists of 561 participants across the UK and US and collaborates with the UK’s Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE), a British government agency aiming to “support society to fight all forms of extremism”.

According to the study, 95 per cent of incels subscribe to the “black pill” idea, that their lack of intimacy and romantic relationship’s is fixed in place and helpless.

The study, published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, stated: “When asked about a specific belief (that 80 per cent of women are only sexually interested in 20 per cent of men) almost two-thirds of incels indicated that they personally agreed with it, while more than 80 per cent felt that most incels agreed with it.”

This study, The Dual Pathways Hypothesis of Incel Harm: A Model of Harmful Attitudes and Beliefs Among Involuntary Celibates, examines the broader aspects and characteristics which form the identity of those in the incel community.

The study’s findings:
Mental health

37 per cent of incels indicated they experienced daily suicidal thoughts.

Neurodiversity

By using the Autism Spectrum Quotient-10 (AQ-10), “a validated screening tool that assesses whether someone should be referred for a formal autism assessment”, showed 30 per cent of participants met the requirements to be assessed. This indicates “a high prevalence of autistic traits, which significantly surpasses the general population’s base rate of one per cent”.

Loneliness

48 per cent of participants indicated “very high levels of loneliness”.

Bullying

86 per cent of participants reported having experiences with bullying behaviour directed at them, comparing to 33 per cent of general population reported.

Ethnic diversity

58 per cent of participants were white, and 42 per cent identifying people of colour creating a diverse sample of participants.

Political orientation

“On average, incels positioned themselves slightly left of centre politically. This challenges the common assumption that incels are predominantly aligned with far-right ideologies.”

Socioeconomic backgrounds

40.6 per cent of participants are middle class, and 27.1 per cent are lower-middle, highlighting “diverse socioeconomic backgrounds”, which challenges stereotyping ‘traditional’ incels as from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Employment and education

Four per cent of participants are in full-time employment, and 16.4 per cent in full-time education

Age

The average age of participants is 26. 18 per cent incels studied are 30 or older, with the oldest in the sample being 73.

 

[AsiaCel]

Incels are more diverse than the average soydit sub

 

[PersonalityChad]

Age

The average age of participants is 26. 18 per cent incels studied are 30 or older, with the oldest in the sample being 73.

@Emba?

 

[Pancakecel]

Incels are more diverse than the average soydit sub

 

[Oneitiscel]

@Emba?

I thought he was in his 60s?

 

[Gigablackcel]

Incels are more diverse than the average soydit sub

 

[baldfartsniffer]

it’ll still be flawed in some sort of way to make us look like the bad guys.

 

[Skelly]

incels are autistic and deppressed, who could've guessed

 

[Emba]

I thought he was in his 60s?

The stress of the study aged me ~ decade.

@Emba?

The Kwanzaa University study was better.

It had ‘Pee insights’ into the incel community - It’s said to be the most ‘repressive’ research ever done on incels

 

[failmaxxed]

The best study ever done on incels was the facial analysis science by those autists at lookism