Phase 2 Individual Assignment
Professor David Brown
Homeland Security
February 26, 2014
Phase 2 Individual Project
Colorado Technical University
March 21, 2014
Phase 2 Individual
Abstract
The following assignment outlines, research of several different sociological and/or psychological characteristics, which can influence new members to join terrorist organizations. Obviously, no single theory, can completely explain the motivation of terrorists. It appears as though a set of theories can come close to doing so sufficiently though, as they cover the cost-benefit calculation, psychological willingness to commit violence, and social conditions permissive to the growth of extremism, that underlie incidents of terrorist action (Simon, 2011).Often it comes …show more content…
down to socio-economic factors, such as poverty. Perception of circumstances, that are unfair or inadequate (Holm, 2005). Expert’s battle continuously to comprehend and justify what is the driving force that inspires terrorists.
Phase 2 Individual Project There are three different personality types that join terrorist organizations.
The first example is a leader type is the leader. The leader is the intellectual within the group who understands the theories and the ideology of the terrorist group. Although the leader is aware of the inadequacies of their ideologies and/or their terror organization, he/she puts the blame on the community for being inadequate, wrong doing, and notable to solve the existing problems. The next personality type is referred to as the opportunists often have criminal backgrounds but also high technical knowledge. The organization’s need of their technical knowledge makes up for their antisocial behavior and thus the opportunist becomes the go-to person in the terrorist group. In other words, an opportunity to solve a technical problem for their group encourages them to socialize with others in their group for which they do not have the courage for otherwise. The third type of personality is the idealist types are never happy with the routine and seek constant change. They have an immature perspective on social problems, and in fact, don’t understand the real problems of their society (Strentz, …show more content…
1981). Other researchers categorize three types of terrorist personalities: criminals, crazies and the crusaders. Hacker asserts that the criminals join terrorist organizations just for profit in monetary means or because they look for vengeance. The second group of people crazies joins terrorist organizations because the life style of the terrorist looks appealing and adventurous for them. And finally the crusaders join terrorist organizations or achieving ideological goals, according to Hacker (1976) and Arboleda-Florez (2007).
According to many studies, most terrorists appear to be psychologically healthier than the criminals of other crimes. Their activities such as killings, blackmail or sabotage might be identical to other criminals’ but there is a big difference, and that is that terrorists have a broader goal, and they are more ideologically motivated (Rogers et al., 2007). Most terrorist organizations pay attention to screening out psychologically unstable individuals because such people are threats to the safety and well-being of their organization. In addition, these psychologically, unstable members could stand out in the community and that would risk their operations (O’Connor, 2004; Wilson, 2004; McKeeby, 2008). Terrorist are not dysfunctional or pathological. Such a wrong belief about the terrorist’s mental condition, can interfere with proper counter terrorism activities. Actually, they are politically motivated, rational people who choose (rational choice theory) to use violence to achieve their goals do so because they lack the resources to wage an actual war (Ruby, 2002).
There are other psychological factors affecting one’s decision to join terrorist organizations, and these underlying reasons could be, what is called their defense mechanisms. Individuals have defense mechanisms and hidden feelings. We are not able to handle our true feelings because they cause pain and anxiety. Our defense mechanisms and hidden feelings make life bearable to us. They distort the facts about the real life matters so that we can cope with them and reduce our depression and anxiety. Among the hidden feelings are: anger, sadness, need for love, fear of not being loveable, fear of death, grief, sexual desires (Weisbach, 2004). According to Karl Menninger (psychoanalyst), anxiety, hidden feelings and defense mechanisms create the triangle of personal conflict. An individual experiencing one or more of these may experience psychological problems. Thus, an individual needs to diminish anxiety through learning how to deal with hidden feelings and that necessitates breaking them down. For instance, the projection method is a defense mechanism and is the condition in which one cannot bear a thought within oneself and places that heavy thought burden on splitting, the concept of the other, and scapegoating (Weisbach, 2004). In conclusion, when actual terrorist members were asked, A majority of the subjects joined terrorist groups due to people they considered friends. For instance, around 70% argued that they got into the network, through their friends within the network, and 20% stated that they got involved in the network, due to their family members within the network. Only 10% mentioned discipleship as their reason for engagement with one of the main terrorist networks.
References
Arboleda-Florez, J. (2007). Mass violence and mental health: A view from forensic psychiatry. International Review of Psychiatry, 19(3), 211-220
CTU.(2014). Phase 2 Discussion Board 2 / Homeland Security : Task list and Course Materials. Colorado Technical University Online, Virtual Campus: CJUS253-1401B-04 Instructor: D. Browne Retrieved from: https://campus.ctuonline.edu /.
Hacker, F.
(1976). Crusaders, Criminals, Crazies’. New York: W. W. Norton.
Holm, R.(2005). The Causes of Terrorism. The Home Page of Maria Keet Retrieved From:http://www.meteck.org/causesTerrorism.html#.
Rogers, M. (2007). The role of religious fundamentalism in terrorist violence: A social Psychological analysis, International Review of Psychiatry, 19(3), 253-262
Ruby, C. (2002). Are terrorists mentally deranged? Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, [no volume or issue], 15-26
Simon, S. ( 2011). No single theory can completely explain the motivations of terrorist individuals and groups. Retrieved From: http://saidsimon.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/no-single-theory-can-completely-explain-the-motivations-of-terrorist-individuals-and-groups/.
Strentz, T. (1981). The terrorist organizational profile: A psychological role model. In Y. Alexander and J. Gleason (Eds.), In Behavioral and quantitative perspectives on terrorism. New York: Pergamum.
Weisbach, J. (2004). The psychology of a terrorist mind: Attempting to understand as a possible means towards prevention. Retrieved July 12, 2008 from http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~
t656_web/peace/Articles_Spring_2004 /Weisbach_Jessica_terrorist_mind.htm
Homeland Security
February 26, 2014
Phase 2 Individual Project
Colorado Technical University
March 21, 2014
Phase 2 Individual
Abstract
The following assignment outlines, research of several different sociological and/or psychological characteristics, which can influence new members to join terrorist organizations. Obviously, no single theory, can completely explain the motivation of terrorists. It appears as though a set of theories can come close to doing so sufficiently though, as they cover the cost-benefit calculation, psychological willingness to commit violence, and social conditions permissive to the growth of extremism, that underlie incidents of terrorist action (Simon, 2011).Often it comes …show more content…
down to socio-economic factors, such as poverty. Perception of circumstances, that are unfair or inadequate (Holm, 2005). Expert’s battle continuously to comprehend and justify what is the driving force that inspires terrorists.
Phase 2 Individual Project There are three different personality types that join terrorist organizations.
The first example is a leader type is the leader. The leader is the intellectual within the group who understands the theories and the ideology of the terrorist group. Although the leader is aware of the inadequacies of their ideologies and/or their terror organization, he/she puts the blame on the community for being inadequate, wrong doing, and notable to solve the existing problems. The next personality type is referred to as the opportunists often have criminal backgrounds but also high technical knowledge. The organization’s need of their technical knowledge makes up for their antisocial behavior and thus the opportunist becomes the go-to person in the terrorist group. In other words, an opportunity to solve a technical problem for their group encourages them to socialize with others in their group for which they do not have the courage for otherwise. The third type of personality is the idealist types are never happy with the routine and seek constant change. They have an immature perspective on social problems, and in fact, don’t understand the real problems of their society (Strentz, …show more content…
1981). Other researchers categorize three types of terrorist personalities: criminals, crazies and the crusaders. Hacker asserts that the criminals join terrorist organizations just for profit in monetary means or because they look for vengeance. The second group of people crazies joins terrorist organizations because the life style of the terrorist looks appealing and adventurous for them. And finally the crusaders join terrorist organizations or achieving ideological goals, according to Hacker (1976) and Arboleda-Florez (2007).
According to many studies, most terrorists appear to be psychologically healthier than the criminals of other crimes. Their activities such as killings, blackmail or sabotage might be identical to other criminals’ but there is a big difference, and that is that terrorists have a broader goal, and they are more ideologically motivated (Rogers et al., 2007). Most terrorist organizations pay attention to screening out psychologically unstable individuals because such people are threats to the safety and well-being of their organization. In addition, these psychologically, unstable members could stand out in the community and that would risk their operations (O’Connor, 2004; Wilson, 2004; McKeeby, 2008). Terrorist are not dysfunctional or pathological. Such a wrong belief about the terrorist’s mental condition, can interfere with proper counter terrorism activities. Actually, they are politically motivated, rational people who choose (rational choice theory) to use violence to achieve their goals do so because they lack the resources to wage an actual war (Ruby, 2002).
There are other psychological factors affecting one’s decision to join terrorist organizations, and these underlying reasons could be, what is called their defense mechanisms. Individuals have defense mechanisms and hidden feelings. We are not able to handle our true feelings because they cause pain and anxiety. Our defense mechanisms and hidden feelings make life bearable to us. They distort the facts about the real life matters so that we can cope with them and reduce our depression and anxiety. Among the hidden feelings are: anger, sadness, need for love, fear of not being loveable, fear of death, grief, sexual desires (Weisbach, 2004). According to Karl Menninger (psychoanalyst), anxiety, hidden feelings and defense mechanisms create the triangle of personal conflict. An individual experiencing one or more of these may experience psychological problems. Thus, an individual needs to diminish anxiety through learning how to deal with hidden feelings and that necessitates breaking them down. For instance, the projection method is a defense mechanism and is the condition in which one cannot bear a thought within oneself and places that heavy thought burden on splitting, the concept of the other, and scapegoating (Weisbach, 2004). In conclusion, when actual terrorist members were asked, A majority of the subjects joined terrorist groups due to people they considered friends. For instance, around 70% argued that they got into the network, through their friends within the network, and 20% stated that they got involved in the network, due to their family members within the network. Only 10% mentioned discipleship as their reason for engagement with one of the main terrorist networks.
References
Arboleda-Florez, J. (2007). Mass violence and mental health: A view from forensic psychiatry. International Review of Psychiatry, 19(3), 211-220
CTU.(2014). Phase 2 Discussion Board 2 / Homeland Security : Task list and Course Materials. Colorado Technical University Online, Virtual Campus: CJUS253-1401B-04 Instructor: D. Browne Retrieved from: https://campus.ctuonline.edu /.
Hacker, F.
(1976). Crusaders, Criminals, Crazies’. New York: W. W. Norton.
Holm, R.(2005). The Causes of Terrorism. The Home Page of Maria Keet Retrieved From:http://www.meteck.org/causesTerrorism.html#.
Rogers, M. (2007). The role of religious fundamentalism in terrorist violence: A social Psychological analysis, International Review of Psychiatry, 19(3), 253-262
Ruby, C. (2002). Are terrorists mentally deranged? Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, [no volume or issue], 15-26
Simon, S. ( 2011). No single theory can completely explain the motivations of terrorist individuals and groups. Retrieved From: http://saidsimon.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/no-single-theory-can-completely-explain-the-motivations-of-terrorist-individuals-and-groups/.
Strentz, T. (1981). The terrorist organizational profile: A psychological role model. In Y. Alexander and J. Gleason (Eds.), In Behavioral and quantitative perspectives on terrorism. New York: Pergamum.
Weisbach, J. (2004). The psychology of a terrorist mind: Attempting to understand as a possible means towards prevention. Retrieved July 12, 2008 from http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~
t656_web/peace/Articles_Spring_2004 /Weisbach_Jessica_terrorist_mind.htm