The Psychology of Terrorism Essay - 2355 Words

New York City. Washington D.C. London. Nairobi. Beirut. Yazidi. Beslan. Mumbai. Lockerbie. These are the locations of some of the world’s worst terrorist attacks, resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. The culprits of these attacks were nearly always a relatively small group of individuals that were labeled as terrorists. It has been said that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. This is the problem with understanding terrorism, a word that means many things to different people. Our different perspectives make it a difficult problem to define and solve. These incidents have occurred relatively infrequently but their impact has been long term and far reaching. What could drive human†¦show more content†¦An examination of known terrorists along with much research creates a model of what path may lead individuals to choose to participate in this activity. This also leaves the question of why the outlier s that do not fit into this model choose to participate. For many, involvement of family and friends influence their participation. Some may fall under the less popular schools of thought suggesting that narcissistic rage and even geography can be factors in who becomes a terrorist. Reaching a clearer understanding is key to at least slowing the frequency and devastation caused by terrorist attacks. Literature Review The literature review considers opposing viewpoints on the factors that breed terrorism in individuals by discussing the following issues: 1. What psychological tendencies, if any, are present among terrorists? 2. Does religion play a role in influencing individuals to commit terroristic acts? 3. What role do politics play in influencing terrorists? 4. Does socioeconomic strife play a role in determining who may feel compelled to commit terroristic acts? In his book, â€Å"The Anatomy of Terrorism,† David Long examines the psychological aspects that lead an individual to become a terrorist. He claims that the two traits that appear to be disproportionately prevalent amongShow MoreRelatedThe Psychology of Terrorism761 Words   |  3 Pages Terrorism Psychology The assignment being completed within this report asks the author of this paper to answer several questions. The first relates to the psychological attributes of terrorists. The second question asks for historical and cultural antecedents to September 11th. The third and final one asks for mental illness and its inconclusive link with terrorism. Reasons for the inconclusiveness as well as reasons people become terrorists. Psychological Profile of a Terrorist The primaryRead MoreEssay Viewing Terrorism through Social Psychology1286 Words   |  6 Pages Acts of terrorism are becoming increasingly common in todays society. 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