New research conducted by political scientists from New York University and Vanderbilt University has uncovered key demographic, economic, and behavioral traits associated with explicit support for white nationalism among the U.S. white population. Published in the journal Nature, the study found that young white men are more likely than any other group within the white population to express support for white nationalism. It's important to note that this expressed support is different from being part of an organized white nationalist group, which the study did not assess. The research also identified that support for white nationalism is more common among white individuals with lower levels of education and income, those who are more religious, and white Republicans or conservatives. People who feel politically disaffected—those who feel disconnected from or frustrated with the political system—also showed higher levels of support. Additionally, social strain, such as personal hardship or economic decline in a local area, was found to be a significant factor in predicting support for the movement. Interestingly, the study found no direct link between how often people use social media and their support for white nationalism. However, it did find that white nationalist beliefs are more common among those whose closest friends are exclusively online. This suggests that for people who are socially isolated in real life, online interactions may play a crucial role in shaping their views, potentially leading them to adopt beliefs that align with their online communities. The study used new and innovative methods to measure support for white nationalism. It conducted three national surveys of non-Hispanic white U.S. adults in 2021, 2024, and 2024–25, involving more than 7,800 participants. Before asking about their support for white nationalism, participants were given a clear description of the movement's core beliefs, as typically described by self-identified white nationalists. They were then directly asked if they supported the movement. Researchers examined how various factors—like demographics, political views, economic conditions, and online social interactions—were associated with support for white nationalism. To ensure the accuracy of their findings, the researchers tested their new measure against well-established ideas about racial attitudes from political science, psychology, and sociology. They also used survey experiments to address concerns that responses might have been influenced by how questions were worded or by participants who weren’t fully paying attention. Most responses were collected through online, confidential surveys, which helped reduce the chance that participants would be hesitant to share their true views. The study's authors believe that this new, direct method of measuring support for white nationalism will allow future research to better understand how and why support for the movement changes over time.