various theories that explains the formation of terrorism in an individual's mind

1. The mind of terrorist
Sreejeethaa. S
M,Sc. Applied Psychology
Pondicherry University

2. DEFINITION
 The United Nations General Assembly (1994)
"Criminal acts intended or calculated to
provoke a state of terror in the general public, a
group of persons or particular persons for
political purposes are in any circumstance
unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a
political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic,
religious or any other nature that may be
invoked to justify them."

3. TYPE OF TERRORISM
 Domestic terrorism involves groups whose
terrorist activities are directed at elements of the
government without foreign involvement.

4.  International terrorism involves groups whose
terrorist activities are foreign-based and/or
directed by countries or groups outside.

5. HOW ARE TERRORIST FORMED?
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
social learning of the acceptance of terrorist
violence may also take a didactic form, as in the
teaching of an extremist form of Jihad in many
Pakistan and Palestine madrasas-religious school
of the young Muslim boys.

6.  FRUSTRATION-AGRESSION THEORY
Political psychologist John Chowing Davies
(1973) has stated “Voilence is always a response
for frustration”.

7.  RELATIVE DEPRIVATION THEORY
 Economic disparities could also cause terrorism.
 If the entire in-group (that of the political factor)
faces relative disparities relative to an out-group,
political voilence would be a group-identity
phenomenon.

8.  OPPERSSION THEORY
 The injustice treatment of the government that
robs their identity, dignity, security and freedom
as the motive of their joining a terrorist group.

9.  NATIONAL CULTURAL THEORY
 Weinberg and Eubank – the collectivistic are
more likely than the individualistic to carry out
the terrorist attack on the out group.

10. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
 Identity theory
 Identity crisis
Eg: Charles Bishop

11.  HUMILIATION-REVENGE THEORY
Palestine psychologist Eyad el Sarraj (2002) has
specifically observed that humiliation is an important
factor for young suicide bombers.
Eg: Abdul Aziz Rantisi
“ To die in this
way is better
than to die
daily in
frustration and
humiliation”

12.  NARCISSIM THEORY
 Humiliation leads to damage of self esteem
(narcissistic injury) , later that would lead to the
destroy of source of damage (narcissistic rage)

13.  NOVELTY-SEEKING THEORY
 ‘ Romance for risk’
 Terrorist planning and execution is indisputably
thrilling actions outside the realm of ordinary
experience.
 Israli prime minister , Yitshak Shamir
 “that period in the
 underground was
 the best part of my
 life”

14. THUS TERRORISM IS BORN IN THE MIND
OF AN INDIVIDUAL…

15. CONCLUSION
 Terrorism is designed to make a point, through
psychological means, FEAR.
 Fears are educated into us & can,
if we wish, be educated out. — Karl A.
Menninger
Similarly, “ terrorism are educated into us & can,
if we wish, be educated out”

16. REFERENCES
 http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07272007/alqa
eda.html
 http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312031/hs/totinf
o.htm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda
 http://www.surrey.ac.uk/politics/research/researc
hareasofstaff/isppsummeracademy/instructors%2
0/The%20Terrost%20mind.pdf
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-
wing_terrorism
 http://www.coedat.nato.int/publications/datr2/05_
Ozgur%20Ozdamar.pdf