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Genesis of TerrorismAn exploration of the causes of terrorism and of the conditions
that produce them
Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.Department of Psychology
University at Buffalo
www.PsychologyofTerrorism.com
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Distinguishing Terrorism from Other Types of Terror
• Terrorism can be distinguished from other types of terror in that it is:• goal oriented not gratuitous
• always directed at a larger audience
• designed to produce a “positive” societal change
• facilitated by both active supporters and sympathizers
• Terrorism is usually viewed as a glorious endeavor by its perpetrators
“One person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter.”
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorism Support Base
Actual terrorists
Active supporters
Passive supporters
Sympathizers
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Perspectives on Terrorism
• Syndrome view (pathological terror looking for a cause?)• Terrorist activity fulfills some psychological need• Identifiable characteristics
• individuals• groups
• Tool view (social activism looking for a solution?)• Terrorist activity has a strategic objective• More evasive identifiable characteristics
• means-ends psychology uses terrorism when other “means” are not effective in achieving the desired “ends”
• individual and group ‘traits’ are likely to be more subtle
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorism as a Syndrome
• Emphasizes psychological characteristics of the individual that lead to terrorism• Individual profiling is valid• Violence prone individuals select terrorism as
the preferred path to social-political change• More similar to pathological terror than to
criminal terror
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorism as a Tool
• Emphasizes social-political conditions of the environment that lead to terrorism• Individual profiling has limited utility
(group profiling probably more useful)• Individuals not necessarily prone to violence
select terrorism as the only viable path to social-political change
• More similar to criminal terror than to pathological terror
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
‘Hybrid’ View
• Emphasizes individual adaptations to the perception of social-political conditions (e.g., social cognition)
• Some individuals may more easily turn to terrorist solutions than others• Individual profiling potentially somewhat useful • Some elements of both pathological and criminal
terror
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Out of the rubble of despair comes the hope for change . . . and another terrorist is born.
Social, political, and economic disparity breed discontent. Discontent sometimes leads to despair that can spawn terrorism. Civilizations once great often seek to return to their former grandeur. Religious fervor can give spiritual meaning to the struggle, and the struggle can provide purpose for life itself.
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Path to Terrorism: Model #1
From Borum, 2003
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Path to Terrorism: Model #2
Feelings of Empowerment and Ability to Affect Change
Social-Political Activism
Democratic Reform or alternative evolution of social structure
Social, Political, Economic, or Religious Strife
Psychological Despair and Feelings of Hopelessness
Blame Self Blame Others
Psychological Depression
Suicide
Indoctrination into culture of hatred
Homicide
Terrorist
Criminal
Adaptive Coping Response
Psychopathologial
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Path to Terrorism: Model #3
Modeling Behavior
Social Contagion Theory
“Brain Washing”
Learning, conditioning, and social modeling are important factors for understanding the spread of terrorism
Small
Large
Group DynamicsPsychological
Sociological
Factors
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorism and Social Modeling
• Modeling behavior can explain many aspects of terrorist behavior for those born into a culture of terrorism, but it fails to explain the genesis of the terrorist movement• Modeling behavior may offer an adequate explanation
for the ‘soldiers’ but not for the leaders of terrorist movements
• Social learning approaches to understanding terrorism have limited utility
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorist’s Mindset
• Identification of problemSocial/political/economic injustice
• Identification of causeOppressive group creating the inequity/injustice
• Identification of solutionRadical change through the use of terror
• Process actualizationLearning to ‘kill’
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Progression to Terrorist
• The transition to terrorism might be viewed within the general framework of motivational psychology
“To do or not to do?” Approach Behavior (no conflict)Approach-Approach Conflict Approach-Avoidance Conflict
• A simple motivational analysis focuses on the dynamic interactions of three classes of variables• Increased motivation to affect change• Decreased competitive behaviors
• alternative paths to change• “others things to do”
• Decreased inhibitions restraining the use of violence
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Motivational Analysis: Factor #1 —Intensified Motivation for Change
• Commonly experienced psychological condition yielding varied responses• Goal unobstructed
• Work merrily away pursuing ‘the good life’
• Goal obstructed• Increased effort to obtain goal through normal
‘channels’• Search for alternative methods of obtaining goal• Search for substitute goals
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Motivational Analysis: Factor #2 —Diminished Competing Behaviors
• Multiple ‘choices’ of goals complicate life and diminish motivational focus for any single goal
People are much less willing to give-up their life when they have something to live for and not just the promise of a better afterlife
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Motivational Analysis: Factor #3 —Diminished Inhibitions for Violence
• Single most important factor for understanding why some people progress from activists to terrorists
• Moral disengagement can explain the psychological transformation necessary for otherwise ‘normal’ people to engage in terrorist activity
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Killing Another Human Being is Seldom Easy
• Homicide• accidental (most people are naturally capable)
• fit of rage (many people are naturally capable)
• premeditated (few people are naturally capable)
• Moral disengagement facilitates the process• unnecessary for a few people (e.g., “natural born killers”)
• can be serendipitous or systematically ‘programmed’
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Moral Disengagement
• Moral justification• Sanitizing the language• Diffusion or displacement of responsibility• Attribution of blame to victims• Dehumanization of victims
From Bandura, 1990
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Three Variables Can Shift the Precarious Balance from
Activism to Terrorism
Motivation for change
Competing alternative behaviors
Inhibition of violent behavior
Act
ivis
m
T
erro
rism
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Transitioning to Terrorism
Actual terrorists
Active supporters
Passive supporters
Sympathizers
Dim
inished alternative
behaviors
Intensified motivation
Empathy
Moral
disengagement
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
• The reasons for the conflict are usually quite obvious
• The reasons for the transition into terrorist action are often less clear
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
• What factors produce the transition from inactivity to activity?• Intensified motivation?• Diminished competing behaviors?
• From supporter to active participant?• Diminished inhibitions?
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Some Psychological Principles within the Realm of Normal Behavior
Applicable to Terrorist Behavior
• Frustration-aggression• Displacement behavior (beyond above)• Modeling behavior• Social contagion (beyond above)• Social cognition• Moral disengagement• Classical and operant conditioning
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Levels of Involvement
• Organizers/Leaders• Active Followers• Supporters• Sympathizers
Initiate the movement
Sustain the movement
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
• If the source of the conflict cannot be peacefully resolved, then• Counter-terrorism efforts should target
foremost the organizers/leaders• They are essential to the organization• They are often not easy to replace
• Unfortunately the followers are usually the ones easiest to capture
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Sources
Bandura, A., et al. (1996). Mechanism of moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 7, 364-374.
Borum, R. (2003). Understanding the terrorist mind-set. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July, 1-10.