Psychological Approaches to Analyzing Terrorism

Psychological Approaches to Analyzing Terrorism

Ours is a high tech world, where mass communications has made possible the ability to connect with someone on the other side of the world in the time it takes to push a button on a computer keyboard (Thomas, Timothy, 2003). This has facilitated the goals of extremists, who must physically conceal themselves in order to perpetrate terrorism on the rest of the world populations who move about in the public sphere with never so much as a thought as to harming others on the basis of their religion, race, or cultural traditions. Psychology has taken on a new importance in analyzing terrorism in order to sort through the bogus messages that are sent via the internet and other means of mass communications containing encrypted messages of intent to harm others. Psychological analysis of these messages has become a new tool in the realm of intelligence gathering and forecasting terrorism.

Fortunately, the starting points as to where to begin an analysis are often times clear when it comes to forecasting terrorism. There are distinct and very public differences of opinion, philosophy, politics and religion about which certain groups are very vocal, because the intent is to win support for their cause amongst the masses; even if ultimately those masses are put in harm's way in order for the shadow forces to accomplish their subversive goals of perpetrating what really amount to hate crimes. Christ Stout (2002), writing on the psychology of terrorism in his book, the Psychology of Terrorism: Programs and Practices in Response and Prevention Vol. 4, discusses in detail the social-psychological considerations in the emergence and proliferation of terrorist activity (p. 23). He writes, "Terrorist usually act as groups or in groups that have common interests and goals. They also act as individuals when overwhelmingly backed and inspired by their groups. Terrorist acts can also be carried out overtly or covertly and violently or nonviolently (p. 24)."