Psychology of Terrorism

Psychology of Terrorism

Name

Institution

Introduction

It is the responsibility of the government and private sector to fight against the terrorist attacks in a nation. Various reasons control the joining of terrorist groups. Need for identity is a common vulnerability among potential terrorists. Terrorist’s ideologies provide a set of defined beliefs and justification for certain behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the information surrounding the terrorist groups.

From the first case, “Lone Wolf Terror Threat on American Soil” the terrorists were looking for the identity. Violence is one of the traits that connect the terrorist groups. The ISIS makes the threat to attack as they search for equality and identity. The aim of the group was to make other citizens follow their rules; however, with the government it was impossible. Instilling fear has been the primary aim of the terrorist group to control the citizens. Terrorists are groups that are against the government because they feel that the government is using its authority to manage resources and other opportunities (Hoffman 338). The “Lone Wolf Terror Threat in America” was treated as a major threat to the government, thus, leading to preparation for the fight against the terror. The beliefs connect terrorists. The terrorists believe that they have to die for other people to survive.

Second case is the Milgram’s experiment by Dr. Stanley for measuring the willingness of participants to obey the authority despite the rules conflicting with their personal conscience. Obedience to the authority has made the terrorist groups have a strong connection with each other because they perform the tasks that are good for the whole group. Personal beliefs are not of concerned when it comes to terrorist groups; they stick together even when it means to die for change (Milgram 175). According to the case, ordinary people are willing to follow orders from the authority. At the same time, rules are followed when they are believed to be morally right.

Works Cited

Hoffman, Bruce. “The mind of the terrorist: Perspectives from social psychology.” Psychiatric Annals 29 (6) (1999): 337-340.

Milgram, S. “Behavioral study of obedience.” Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 (1998): 370-378.