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Genesis of Terrorism
An 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
Distinguishing Terrorism from
Other Types of Terror
• Terrorism can be distinguished from other types of
terror in that it is:
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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
Social, Political, Economic, or Religious Strife
Feelings of Empowerment and
Ability to Affect Change
Psychological Despair and
Feelings of Hopelessness
Adaptive Coping Response
Blame Self
Blame Others
Social-Political Activism
Psychological
Depression
Indoctrination into
culture of hatred
Democratic Reform or alternative
evolution of social structure
Suicide
Homicide
Psychopathologial
Criminal
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Terrorist
Path to Terrorism: Model #3
Learning, conditioning, and social modeling
are important factors for understanding the
spread of terrorism
“Brain Washing”
Modeling Behavior
Social Contagion Theory
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 problem
Social/political/economic injustice
• Identification of cause
Oppressive group creating the inequity/injustice
• Identification of solution
Radical change through the use of terror
• Process actualization
Learning 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
From Bandura, 1990
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Moral justification
Sanitizing the language
Diffusion or displacement of responsibility
Attribution of blame to victims
Dehumanization of victims
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Competing
alternative behaviors
Inhibition of violent
behavior
Motivation for
change
Activism
Terrorism
Three Variables Can Shift the
Precarious Balance from Activism
to Terrorism
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Transitioning to Terrorism
Actual
terrorists
Active supporters
Passive supporters
Sympathizers
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
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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
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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.
Copyright 2006 Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.