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Introduction:
Psychology is often described as the science of behaviors. It
tries to solve the problems and symptoms individuals encounter
because their behavior is in part a science, but in the study of
the mind especially the unconscious it often moves away from pure
science and becomes a philosophy and an art.
Psychological factors relating
to terrorism are of particular interest to psychologist, political
scientists and governments officials, who would like to be able to
prevent the emergence of terrorist groups or, to ruin the
realization of terrorist actions. Thus, this article attempts to
focuses on individual Psychological and sociological
characteristics of terrorists. Terrorism can be defined as a
system of violence murder, kidnapping, bombing, hijacking of
aircrafts & taking hostages to achieve particular purpose or,
desired goals by force. Its an art of violence creating fear in
the minds of ordinary civilians. The usual definition of terrorism
is something like the use of violence, by small groups against
non- combatants of large groups for political goal.
Since September 11, a large
number of articles and books have been
published on the psychology of terrorism. It is the psychology of
terrorism that causes it to commands so much attention compare to
other
threats of life. To give the context, the death toll of the
September
11attack in the USA, the most devastating terror attack in US
history.
This attack on WTC and Pentagon were probably carried out by
Osama-bin-ladens organization
Al-Qaeda. Bin-laden is motivated by
anger
against the USA after Gulf war.
Fighting in the cause of God is one of the most misunderstood
issues in
Islam. Many Muslims scholars have confused the issue by their
personal
opinion that has no support in Quran. Like all other religions of
God,
Islam promotes peace, love and harmony among the people. The
religion of
Islam condemns the killing of people of merely because they are
embrace
a different religion. The Quran mandates the absolute freedom of
religion in a society. It does not allow Muslims to fight except
for
self defense, but many terrorist groups have used the name Islam
to
promote their cause in the name Jihad which gave many non-Muslims
a
chance asperse Islam and labels Muslims as terrorists. The main
question
here arise is that whether is it possible for a man to manipulate
the
minds and actions of the people through the entire world including
many
IT experts, scientists and other for serving their own purpose.
Now here
psychology plays an important role.
The psychology of terrorism deals with the questions regarding the
making of a terrorists i.e., how and why do people become
terrorists and
what characteristic those who do. Are they mentally unbalanced. Do
they have common personality traits or, sociological attributes.
There are various psychological theories relating to terrorism
those are
as follows:
1. Frustrating psycho-social conditions
2. severe psychopathology
3. Personality disorder
4. Fanaticism
Frustrating psycho-social conditions
Frustration due to marginalization, poverty, unemployment is one
of the
oldest sociological theories which is related to terrorism i.e.
terrorist comes from the groups that experience marginalization,
poverty, unemployment, social alienation. people with such social
disadvantages are thought to be at a higher risk for getting
involved in
the act of violence.
Psychopathology and severe mental disorders
It is very well known fact that persons who commit acts of extreme
abuse and destruction, killings and massacre have been regarded as
inhuman, crazy and abnormal. Terrorist organization will probably
be
rather reluctant to enroll mentally ill persons in their groups,
it is
probable that a certain informal screening already takes place
where
serious psychopathology is discarded from organized terrorism.
Personality disorder
People dawn to terrorism, may have some form of psychopathology
such as
personality disorders. The problem is that they are generally
identified
as terrorists after a long period of affiliation to a segregated
group &
one doesn't know if the so called narcissistic traits( for example
extreme sensitivity) to criticism, extreme flections of mood,
tendency
to split the world into black& white, lack of nuance, inability to
form
intimate bonds, lack of sensitivity to others needs & feelings are
the
cause or result of belonging to a fundamentalistic, fanatical or
otherwise terrorist organization.
Fanaticism
In the original sense of the word, a fanatic is a person who is
passionately engaged in a religious cause. To a fanatic the world
is
divided into two categories: - Those that are with him and those
that
are against him. The terrorist is often labeled as a fanatic,
especially
in actions that lead to self-destruction. In psychological terms,
the
concept of fanaticism carries some implications of mental illness.
However, Taylor points out it is not a diagnostic category in
mental
illness. Thus, he believes that commonly held assumptions about
the
relationship between fanaticism and mental illness- seem to be in
appropriate. The fanatic often seems to view the world from a
particular
perspective lying at the extreme of a continuum.
Modern Terror organization invests much time and effort, as well
as
extensive resources into methods of Psychological warfare. They
carefully observe their target population to find weaknesses and
cracks
in the society, which can widen or exploited. The terrorist study
suggest that they target country's media to learn how best to get
their
threats across and how to magnify the fears of the population and
stimulate or to amplify criticism of the government and its
policies.
Dissenting views in the society are carefully collected and used
to
undermine the populations beliefs in the rightness of its own
ways. The
terror organizations from the outset that it will not achieve its
goals
purely by means of terror attacks. It must enlist the help of its
victims themselves in gaining its objectives. A victory that would
be
impossible by military means is thus brought within reach through
a
protracted campaign of psychological warfare that gradually erodes
the
target populations will to fight and turns the tables against the
stronger power.
If the terrorists are otherwise ordinarily, unremarkable people
then
one need to examine why have these normal people decided to engage
in
such an extreme activity as political violence. Once you are
forced to
throw away the terrorists are different model, then attention must
be
given to other areas. An important realization is that becoming
involved
in terrorism is a process. No body is born a terrorist. There is
no bad
gene at work here. Neither does anyone wake up one morning and
decide
that on that day they are going to start planting Bombs in public
streets. Becoming a terrorist is in the first instance an issue of
socialization. Any society will possess some minorities or
disaffected
groups who rightly or wrongly perceive that the world is treating
them
harshly. In some cases there are genuine and very substantial
causes for
grievance. Individuals who belong to or identify with such
disaffected
groups share in as sense of injustice and persecution. It is from
such
pools that individual terrorist emerge. The move from the
disaffected to
the violent extremist is usually facilitated by a catalyst event.
Normally this is an act of extreme physical violence committed by
the
police or security forces or other rival group against the
individual,
family, friends or simply anyone they can identify with. The
combination
of sense of belonging to a beleaguered group combined with the
experience of an art of extreme violence against either oneself or
significant others, is the impetus for some to engage in
terrorism.
Terrorism is a paradox- a topical, high-profile subject with clear
real-world relevance, yet with limited and desperate shortage of
researches in the area. There is a need to encourage the younger
researchers to take an interest in maintaining research activity
in the
area.
Conclusion
Psychology offers real insight in the understanding of terrorism
and in
the search of an end to terrorist conflicts. It has to be focused
on the
crucial lessons in terms of educating with a mind to opening doors
for
improved prevention and more flexible resolution. The levels of
ignorance, misconception and prejudice concerning terrorism that
need to
be overturned are immense, but in doing so there are genuine
opportunities to achieve and safeguard peace and security for all.
References:
1. Crenshaw, M, The Psychology of Terrorism- An Agenda for the
21st
Century, Political Psychology.
2. Dr Silke, Andrew is at the Scarman, Psychology, Crime, and Law.
3. Hoffman Bruce, Inside Terrorism, 1998, Columbia University
Press, New
York.
4.
http//www.terrorism.com
5.
http//www.submission.organisation/terrorism.
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Psychology
Of Terrorism
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The
author can be reached at:
afshan_law@legalserviceindia.com /
