Task 6 of the course PSY3377 Legal Psychology in a Nutshell, followed at Maastricht University. The task is comprehensive and well organized. All research papers are summarized and everything discussed during the tutorials is included. Using my tasks, I got an 8.5 for the final exam :).
CASE: “Something must be mentally wrong with these terrorists. Why else would they commit these
crimes? How do these people get radicalized, so that they promote violence?”
- ‘The terrorist’ does not deviate from the general population in terms of psychopathology.
Thus, terrorists are not ‘crazy’ and maybe there’s a terrorist hidden in everyone.
- Terrorist groups seem to avoid recruiting people with mental health problems, probably
because they share some of the same stigmatized views as the rest of society and see people
with mental health conditions as unreliable, difficult to train, and a security threat
- Lone actors (= individuals who are not linked to established terror networks but are attracted
to their aspirations and act in their interests) have a different profile, in which mental
illnesses are more common & they seem to be influenced by their immediate social networks
o No single diagnosis is associated with lone actor terrorism – reported diagnoses
include antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders, schizophrenia, delusional
disorder, and autism spectrum disorder
LEARNING GOALS:
1. What is terrorism and radicalization?
Terrorism: an act of violence (domestic or international), usually committed against non-combatants,
& aimed to achieve behavioural change & political objectives by creating fear in a larger population.
- Primary goal: make a statement & reach a particular audience (not just criminal behaviour)
- Most terrorists’ attacks (>95%) are planned & executed in groups
o Generally, terrorism is very much a group phenomenon, because in groups it’s easier
to prepare an attack & people in groups are more motivated to actually commit the
attack, rather than to bail out at the last moment
o While it’s possible for individuals to commit acts of terror alone and create a political
impact, in the power of the group can be much more influential than an alone voice
- Terrorism poses a serious physical threat to the security of citizens
o Indirectly, the induction of fear can have further deleterious effects increasing
polarization along ethnic, religious and national lines, promoting conflict among
different segments of society
Radicalization: a process through which people (ordinary citizens) become increasingly motivated to
use violent means against members of an out-group or symbolic targets to achieve behavioural
change & political goals. The process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of
extremism leading to terrorism.
- The 5 types of radical groups + their main concern :
o Nationalistic or Separatist groups: secure a territory for the own group
E.g., ISIS (Syria & Iraq)
o Extreme right-wing groups: to safe-guard the high status position of the ‘white race’
that’s perceived to be threatened by immigrants
E.g., Klu Klux Klan (U.S.)
o Extreme left-wing groups: achieve a just distribution of wealth and perceive
capitalism as the main source of evil
E.g., the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (Turkey)
o Single issue groups: their main concern focuses on one particular topic (not an
extensive ideology), such as the environment, animal rights or abortion
E.g., Army of God (anti-abortion, U.S.)
o Religiously motivated groups: adhere to a very strict interpretation of their religion
to justify violence against ‘infidels’
E.g., ISIS (Syria /& Iraq), Al Qaida (several countries), Army of God (U.S.)
, - The different types of radical groups share common elements :
o All radical groups perceive a serious problem in society. This problem or grievance is
different for each radical group
o Radical groups are strongly dissatisfied with the manner in which the current
institutions (particularly police/politicians) deal with their problem. They may argue
that the institutions do not pay enough attention to their grievance, or they may
think that the institutions do not do enough to handle their grievance
This creates a low institutional trust & a perception that authorities aren’t
legitimate
o Radical groups consider their own group’s norms and values as superior to those of
other groups
This creates a strong us vs. them distinction, which might form the
foundation of the use of violence
o Most radical groups embrace an ideology that legitimizes violence to address their
concerns, and this violence is often directed at an out-group viewed as the culprit
responsible for creating the grievance
Social identity theory to radicalization: identification with the ingroup
combined with the dis-identification with the outgroup are related to the use
of violence against outgroup members
o The strong belief in the efficacy of the use of violence
Consequently, radical groups are often inclined to approve of the violence
committed by their members as the most effective means to achieve their
ideological ends
- Thus, every radical group is characterized by a strong sense of a (superior) ingroup identity,
as well as an (inferior and evil) outgroup, which is held as responsible for the grievance of the
ingroup and as such is perceived as a legitimate target of violent attacks in order to achieve
societal & political changes
2. What are possible motivations/pathways to radicalization?
A model of radicalization & de-radicalization (Doosje et al., 2016)
- Most terrorists are not mentally ill. Rather, terrorism is a result of a radicalization process in
steps that can happen to ‘normal’ people
o The radicalizing person forms the central component of the model. This person
follows 3 phases during the radicalization process
Whether or not this person will follow all the phases depends on factors at 3
levels: micro (individual), meso (group), and macro (society) level
At all 3 levels, however, this person may be protected against radical
influences by a shield of resilience
Half way the group membership phase, the shield of resilience turns
around. The radical group is making the person resilient against de-
radicalization influences from outside the group
- Phase 1 of radicalization: Sensitivity to a radical ideology
o Microlevel: factors within the person may influence this process
An important driving factor = the quest for significance
Feelings of insignificance can be caused by a loss of status, a strong
sense of humiliation, or poor career prospects (personal failure,
criminal activities, and drug abuse)
Radical groups such as ISIS are well-equipped to foster or restore
feelings of significance by providing recruits with a sense of
belonging, respect, heroism, status and the notion to fight for a holy
cause
, Another important driving factor = personal uncertainty
When people feel uncertain, they become motivated to identify
strongly with a group that reduces their uncertainty by providing
them with clear norms and values
Radical groups are particularly able to do this, as they have a clear
profile, offer a solid structure and a black-and-white world view.
Thus, orthodox groups with well-developed behavioural rules can be
attractive for people who experience personal uncertainty
o Mesolevel: the radicalization process is likely to depend on the social environment
(friends, family, and other groups)
Important driving factor = fraternal relative deprivation; the feeling of
injustice that people experience when they identify with their group and
perceive that their group has been treated worse than another group
For example, right wing groups experience that native citizens are
being treated worse than immigrants
Another important factor = friendship & family
People are social beings and this makes them vulnerable to social
influence from people close to them and with whom they have
frequent contact
Extremist groups supply individuals with a strong sense of ingroup
belongingness, which is a basic human need, & a clear image of an
evil outgroup, creating a strong intergroup dynamic
o Macrolevel: the radicalization process is partly influenced by the larger societal
factors
For example, accelerating globalization & the world-wide threat due to the
political, economic, and cultural dominance of the West forms an important
driving factor for radical Muslims. They experience the Western lifestyle as a
cultural threat to the pure Islam and the wars by the West pose a threat to
the larger Muslim community
- Phase 2 of radicalization: One becomes a member of a radical group
o The individual with a ‘cognitive opening’ joins a radical group
Mutual commitment is central in this process: the individual feels attached or
fused with the group, & the group is fused with the individual
o Microlevel: a person starts as a marginal member, and is motivated to show the
loyalty to the group
As such, this person is likely to follow the norms and values of the group,
e.g., by downgrading an outgroup in public contexts
o Mesolevel: of great importance, as ties between the individual & the group are
strengthened
This can be achieved via initiation rituals
Physical and psychological isolation can cut people loose from their old social
environment
Training and coaching form important elements of this phase. Group
members are often encouraged to ‘break bridges’ with friends and family
who don’t belong to the group
This makes the ingroup cohesive & strong
Not necessary when people feel supported in their radical beliefs
and actions by their social environment
o Macrolevel: for example, the declaration of the Islamic State in Syria & Iraq possibly
has increased levels of perceived group efficacy
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