Mind of a Terrorist Dr. Stephen Link Professor of Psychology Brookhaven College [email protected].
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Transcript of Mind of a Terrorist Dr. Stephen Link Professor of Psychology Brookhaven College [email protected].
Social Sciences
Refers to the academic disciplines concerned with society and the relationships among individuals within a society.Anthropology Political ScienceGeography PsychologyHistory ReligionPhilosophy Sociology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_science
PSYCHOLOGY COURSESPSYC 2301 General Psychology Survey of major topics in psychology. Introduces the study of behavior and the factors that determine and affect behavior.
PSYC 2302 Applied Psychology Survey of the applications of psychological knowledge and methods in such fields as business, industry, education, medicine, law enforcement, social work, and government work.
PSYC 2306 Human Sexuality Study of the psychological, sociological, and physiological aspects of human sexuality.
PSYC 2314 Lifespan Growth & Development Study of the relationship of the physical, emotional, social and mental factors of growth and development of children and throughout the lifespan.
PSYC 2315 Psychology of Adjustment Study of the processes involved in adjustment of individuals to their personal and social environments.
PSYC 2316 Psychology of Personality Study of various approaches to determinants, development, and assessment of personality.
Lecture Objectives
• Define Terrorism• Discuss the Importance of Changing
Perception• Describe the Process of Terrorist Mind
Development
Questions for You
• How can someone be persuaded to kill others?
• Can this perceptual persuasion happen to me or some one close to me?
• Does the process of perceptual conversion happen in other groups?
• What policies could be developed to deter the development of terrorists?
Terrorism FBI Definition
• There is no single, universally accepted, definition of terrorism. Terrorism is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85).
Can someone be persuaded to kill others?
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It is all about PERCEPTION
How do we know what is true and real?
What do you Perceive?
What do you perceive?
Perception is based on
• BioPsychoSocial InteractionsBrain FormationsConditioned ThinkingEnvironmental Influences
Terrorist or Freedom Fighter
• The oft-repeated statement 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' reflects genuine doubts about what constitutes 'terrorism'.
Social Cognition
All people operate on their own internal map of reality, not on
reality itself.
Perceptual Dualism
• Suicidal Bombers• Crazed Sociopaths• Terrorists
• Martyrs• Holy Warriors• Freedom Fighters
Social CognitionWhat is Real/True?
Suicide• Feel hopelessness and
depression.• End intense and unbearable
pain.• Others consider suicide
undesirable.• Others attempt to
discourage behavior and feel guilt and shame if it occurs.
Martyrdom• Feel hopefulness about
afterlife.• Further the cause …a heroic
sacrifice.• Others consider the act as
heroic.• Others encourage the
behavior for family pride and give social and financial support.
You can drastically change some one’s perception.
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How can a person change their perception so drastically?
OKC Bombing Timothy McVeigh
CNN Interview
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cheK2-2wcdw
Process of Terrorist Mind Development
Perceived UnfairnessPerceived Options to Fight Unfair Treatment
Seeking OthersRecruitment/Perceptual Persuasion
Conversion/Commitment to the OrganizationMission of Martyrdom
Perceived Unfairness
• Poverty and lack of education are problematic but not predicative.
• Perceived injustice and the feeling of frustration and shame.
• Perceived personal deprivation.
• Fraternal deprivation other societies have reached this goal we have not.
FrustrationSyriana Clip 1
• Pakistani migrant workers Saleem Ahmed Khan and his son Wasim board a bus to go to work at a Connex refinery, only to discover that they have been laid off due to a Chinese company outbidding Connex for the rights to run the facility. Since the company has provided food and lodging, the workers face the threat of poverty and deportation due to their unemployed status. Wasim desperately searches for work but is refused because he doesn't speak Arabic.
Key Elements to Fight Unfair Treatment
• Plato warned of the inevitable collapse of any society if it does not allow the rise of talented individuals in the social hierarchy and conversely the downward mobility of the less talented who are born to those in power.
• Equity principal important I can get ahead and efforts will be rewarded.
• No options ! Emotions build.
Do you feel that you have an opportunity to change your life?
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Key Element
Emotional Reactionwhich
Decreases/Overrides Logic/Critical Thinking
Easier to Manipulate/Persuade
Seeking Others In times of Distress we Affiliate
• Solace and comfort in knowing that I am not alone. Same values and views. You are one of us.
• Psychological/emotional connections are met.• Great empathy and sympathy given.• Blame injustice on targeted group.• Can be done in person or via the internet.• Make an emotional connection with a soon to be
mentor/group.
Perceived Unfairness
• Fairness matters the most. I cannot achieve what the media presents of affluent and democratic lifestyles.
Reactions to Perceived Unfair Treatment
• Lack of Empowerment
• Feelings of Helplessness
• Feelings of Hopelessness
• Anger
• Blame Others
Syriana Seeking Othersclip 2
• A very frustrated Wasim and his friends join an Islamic school for food and learn Arabic, in order to improve their employment prospects.
RecruitmentPerceptual Persuasion
• Groups offer answers by supplying continual righteous information.
• Development of US vs. Them Attitude. Labeling• Persuaded to be committed to the morality of the
group.• Develop a parallel life… keep this a secret.• Isolation, affiliation, secrecy and fear.• Feel powerful hope and have a sense of purpose.• Powerful Charismatic Figure Appears.
MentorSyriana clip 3
• While playing soccer, they meet a charismatic Islamic fundamentalist cleric
Commitment to the OrganizationPerceptual Conversion
• Usually end parallel life. “Live” the organization to be trained. All information is tightly controlled. Constant bombardment of 24 hours of social categorization.
• Terrorists act in a prosocial manner, both believing themselves to be serving society and judged by their in-group to be acting in its interest.
• Groups use Social Conformity , Social Obedience and Confirmation Basis
Social Conformity
• Social Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group.
• This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/obedience.html
Social Obedience
• Obedience is a form of social influence where an individual acts in response to a direct order from another individual. This person is perceived as an authority figure.
• http://www.simplypsychology.org/obedience.html
• Enthusiastically identify with the groups leader or agenda.
Confirmation Bias
• is a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions. The label becomes truth regardless of reality.
Commitment to the Organization
• Reduction of Inhibitory Mechanisms. • Social Categorization: Those people. Civilians
acts of violence are justified because they are the enemy.
• Development of emotional anchors – hypnotic suggestions. Drugs?
• No opportunity to leave alive.• Strong Emotional Reactions
Hopefulness/Angry Leads to
Righteousness
Righteousness
is a feeling or way of life that is all about doing the right thing.
Distorted Perception
Does the process of terrorist (perceptual) conversion happen in
other groups?
Does the process of perceptual conversion happen in other groups?
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1. Cults2. Military3. Social Groups4. Sports 5. Organized Religion6. Politics7. Abusive Relationship8. Dysfunctional Families9. All of the above10. Other
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Factors Leading to Action
• Modern weaponry decreases personal contact. • Psychological distancing using terrorist myths do
not provide a spark to get people to recognize their actions.
• Victims are not aware of attack and cannot induce inhibitory mechanism.
• Contact person reinforces perception. Use anchors such as icons, visualizations, emotional feelings.
Action: Emotional Context
Angry Becomes
HatredBlinding
Revenge
Never Ending
I am not a Terrorist
I am a Freedom Martyr
Action
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMs2FYdHSrg martyrdom
The Process of Ideological Development
• It’s Not Right• It’s Not Fair• It’s Your Fault• You’re Evil• Borum, David. (2003) Understanding the Terrorist Mind-Set. FBI Law
Enforcement Bulletin, July 2003, 7-10.
• Let’s Get THEM
What can be done to deter the development of terrorists?
Short Term Policy Implications
• Defensive - Increased Security• Offensive - Military and Cyber attacks.• Use of Social Media and Global Media to
Change Perception• International Aid Program• Support Democratic Processes - Equality
Long Term Policy Implications
Reduction of InequalityEqual Participation
Awareness Education of Us- Them Mentality
Justice PromotedInterobjectivity
understanding shared within andbetween cultures
Salient Elements to Eliminate Perceptual Persuasion
• Be Educated• Stay Aware• Emote and Release Emotional Energy• Maintain Hope• Motivate Yourself• Think Critically
References
• Atran, S. (2003, March 7). Genesis of suicide terrorism. Science, 299, 1534–1539.
• Bandura, A. (2004). The role of selective moral disengagement in terrorism and counterterrorism. In F. M. Moghaddam & A. J. Marsella (Eds.), Understanding terrorism: Psychosocial roots, causes, and consequences (pp. 121–150). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
References
• Borum, David. (2003) Understanding the Terrorist Mind-Set. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 2003, 7-10.
• Moghaddam, F. M. (2005). The Staircase to Terrorism. A Psychological Exploration American Psychologist, Vol. 60, No. 2, 161–169.
Brief History of Terrorism in the United States• 1978-1995—The Unabomber• 1993—The First World Trade Center Bombing• 1995—Oklahoma City Bombing• 1996— Centennial Olympic Park Bombing• 2001—9/11• 2001—The Shoe Bomber• 2001—Anthrax Attacks• 2002—The Beltway Sniper• 2006—SUV Attack at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill• 2009—NYC Subway Bomb Plot• 2009—Fort Hood Shooting• 2009—Little Rock Recruiting Office Shooting• 2009—Underwear Bombing Attempt• 2010—Times Square Bombing Attempt• 2013—Boston Marathon
http://www.nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/a-brief-history-of-terrorism-in-the-united-states-20130416
Research Findings on Elements of Terrorist
• Wants change of some kind but feel powerless to have effect or impact.• Feel alienated, disenfranchised or angry.• Feel a need to take action when talking becomes ineffective or no one listens.• Believe that their efforts are not immoral.• Has family or friends sympathetic to a shared cause.• Feels that joining a movement or acting alone empowers them bringing psychological rewards,
adventure, a heightened sense of identity and perhaps camaraderie.• Some actually believe a violent act may attract positive attention to their cause.• Lone wolves and large groups both feel a need to strike out if they perceive their lifestyle or culture is in
jeopardy.• Revenge is a popular criterion for terrorist violence.• In almost all cases, lone wolves are male.• Lone wolves are known to be lonely people who want to be heard.•
Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/steps-authentic-happiness-positive-psychology/2013/apr/18/inside-mind-terrorist-where-do-they-come/#ixzz2dHcBj9RA
History of Terrorism• The history of terrorism dates back at least 1500 years when
Jewish resistance groups (66 - 72 A.D.) known as Zealots killed Roman soldiers and destroyed Roman property. The term assassin comes from a Shi'ite Muslim sect (Nizari Isma'ilis - also known as hashashins "hashish-eaters") fighting Sunni Muslims (1090 - 1275) and during Medieval Christendom resisting occupation during the Crusades (1095-1291). The hashashins were known to spread terror in the form of murder, including women and children. The brotherhood of Assassins committed terror so as to gain paradise and seventy-two virgins if killed and to receive unlimited hashish while on earth. The modern development of terrorism began during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror (1793 - 1794). During this period the term terrorism was first coined.
1920: Wall Street Bombing30 people died , hundreds injured, destroyed Morgan Building
During a series of protests linked to the Sons of Liberty, colonists burn and sack the house of the Massachusetts lieutenant governor, Thomas Hutchinson.
Muslim Support of Osama bin Laden?
• Title 22 of the U.S. Code, Section 2656f(d) defines terrorism as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.” [1]
