1. Professor of Psychology
Mind of a Terrorist
Dr. Stephen Link
Professor of Psychology
Brookhaven College

2. Social Sciences
Refers to the academic disciplines concerned with society and the relationships among individuals within a society.
Anthropology Political Science
Geography Psychology
History Religion
Philosophy Sociology

3. PSYCHOLOGY COURSES PSYC 2301 General Psychology
Survey of major topics in psychology. Introduces the study of behavior and the factors that determine and affect behavior.
PSYC 2302 Applied Psychology
Survey of the applications of psychological knowledge and methods in such fields as business, industry, education, medicine, law enforcement, social work, and government work.
PSYC 2306 Human Sexuality
Study of the psychological, sociological, and physiological aspects of human sexuality.
PSYC 2314 Lifespan Growth & Development
Study of the relationship of the physical, emotional, social and mental factors of growth and development of children and throughout the lifespan.
PSYC 2315 Psychology of Adjustment
Study of the processes involved in adjustment of individuals to their personal and social environments.
PSYC 2316 Psychology of Personality
Study of various approaches to determinants, development, and assessment of personality.

4. Lecture Objectives Define Terrorism
Discuss the Importance of Changing Perception
Describe the Process of Terrorist Mind Development

5. Questions for You How can someone be persuaded to kill others?
Can this perceptual persuasion happen to me or some one close to me?
Does the process of perceptual conversion happen in other groups?
What policies could be developed to deter the development of terrorists?

6. Terrorism FBI Definition
There is no single, universally accepted, definition of terrorism. Terrorism is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85).

7. Can someone be persuaded to kill others?
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
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8. It is all about PERCEPTION
How do we know what is true and real?

9. What do you Perceive?

10. What do you perceive?

12. Perception is based on
BioPsychoSocial Interactions
Brain Formations
Conditioned Thinking
Environmental Influences

13. Terrorist or Freedom Fighter
The oft-repeated statement 'One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' reflects genuine doubts about what constitutes 'terrorism'.

14. Social Cognition
All people operate on their own internal map of reality, not on reality itself.

15. Perceptual Dualism Suicidal Bombers Crazed Sociopaths Terrorists
Martyrs
Holy Warriors
Freedom Fighters

16. Social Cognition What is Real/True?
Suicide
Martyrdom
Feel hopelessness and depression.
End intense and unbearable pain.
Others consider suicide undesirable.
Others attempt to discourage behavior and feel guilt and shame if it occurs.
Feel hopefulness about afterlife.
Further the cause …a heroic sacrifice.
Others consider the act as heroic.
Others encourage the behavior for family pride and give social and financial support.

17. You can drastically change some one’s perception.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
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18. How can a person change their perception so drastically?

19. OKC Bombing Timothy McVeigh

26. CNN Interview

27. Process of Terrorist Mind Development
Perceived Unfairness Perceived Options to Fight Unfair Treatment Seeking Others Recruitment/Perceptual Persuasion Conversion/Commitment to the Organization Mission of Martyrdom

28. Perceived Unfairness
Poverty and lack of education are problematic but not predicative.
Perceived injustice and the feeling of frustration and shame.
Perceived personal deprivation.
Fraternal deprivation other societies have reached this goal we have not.

29. Frustration Syriana Clip 1
Pakistani migrant workers Saleem Ahmed Khan and his son Wasim board a bus to go to work at a Connex refinery, only to discover that they have been laid off due to a Chinese company outbidding Connex for the rights to run the facility. Since the company has provided food and lodging, the workers face the threat of poverty and deportation due to their unemployed status. Wasim desperately searches for work but is refused because he doesn't speak Arabic.

31. Key Elements to Fight Unfair Treatment
Plato warned of the inevitable collapse of any society if it does not allow the rise of talented individuals in the social hierarchy and conversely the downward mobility of the less talented who are born to those in power.
Equity principal important I can get ahead and efforts will be rewarded.
No options ! Emotions build.

32. Do you feel that you have an opportunity to change your life?
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
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33. Emotional Reaction Key Element Decreases/Overrides
which
Decreases/Overrides
Logic/Critical Thinking
Easier to Manipulate/Persuade

34. Seeking Others In times of Distress we Affiliate
Solace and comfort in knowing that I am not alone. Same values and views. You are one of us.
Psychological/emotional connections are met.
Great empathy and sympathy given.
Blame injustice on targeted group.
Can be done in person or via the internet.
Make an emotional connection with a soon to be mentor/group.

35. Perceived Unfairness
Fairness matters the most. I cannot achieve what the media presents of affluent and democratic lifestyles.

36. Reactions to Perceived Unfair Treatment
Lack of Empowerment
Feelings of Helplessness
Feelings of Hopelessness
Anger
Blame Others

37. Syriana Seeking Others clip 2
A very frustrated Wasim and his friends join an Islamic school for food and learn Arabic, in order to improve their employment prospects.

39. Recruitment Perceptual Persuasion
Groups offer answers by supplying continual righteous information.
Development of US vs. Them Attitude. Labeling
Persuaded to be committed to the morality of the group.
Develop a parallel life… keep this a secret.
Isolation, affiliation, secrecy and fear.
Feel powerful hope and have a sense of purpose.
Powerful Charismatic Figure Appears.

40. Mentor Syriana clip 3
While playing soccer, they meet a charismatic Islamic fundamentalist cleric

45. Commitment to the Organization Perceptual Conversion
Usually end parallel life. “Live” the organization to be trained. All information is tightly controlled. Constant bombardment of 24 hours of social categorization.
Terrorists act in a prosocial manner, both believing themselves to be serving society and judged by their in-group to be acting in its interest.
Groups use Social Conformity , Social Obedience and Confirmation Basis

46. Social Conformity
Social Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group.
This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure.

47. Social Obedience
Obedience is a form of social influence where an individual acts in response to a direct order from another individual. This person is perceived as an authority figure.
Enthusiastically identify with the groups leader or agenda.

48. Confirmation Bias
is a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions. The label becomes truth regardless of reality.

50. Commitment to the Organization
Reduction of Inhibitory Mechanisms.
Social Categorization: Those people. Civilians acts of violence are justified because they are the enemy.
Development of emotional anchors – hypnotic suggestions. Drugs?
No opportunity to leave alive.
Strong Emotional Reactions Hopefulness/Angry Leads to

51. Righteousness

52. is a feeling or way of life that is all about doing the right thing.
Righteousness
is a feeling or way of life that is all about doing the right thing.
Distorted Perception

53. Does the process of terrorist (perceptual) conversion happen in other groups?

54. Does the process of perceptual conversion happen in other groups?
Cults
Military
Social Groups
Sports
Organized Religion
Politics
Abusive Relationship
Dysfunctional Families
All of the above
Other
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55. Factors Leading to Action
Modern weaponry decreases personal contact.
Psychological distancing using terrorist myths do not provide a spark to get people to recognize their actions.
Victims are not aware of attack and cannot induce inhibitory mechanism.
Contact person reinforces perception. Use anchors such as icons, visualizations, emotional feelings.

56. Action: Emotional Context
Angry Becomes
Hatred
Blinding

57. Revenge
Never Ending

58. I am not a Terrorist
I am a Freedom Martyr

59. Action
martyrdom

60. The Process of Ideological Development
It’s Not Right
It’s Not Fair
It’s Your Fault
You’re Evil
Borum, David. (2003) Understanding the Terrorist Mind-Set. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 2003, 7-10.
Let’s Get THEM

62. What can be done to deter the development of terrorists?

63. Short Term Policy Implications
Defensive - Increased Security
Offensive - Military and Cyber attacks.
Use of Social Media and Global Media to Change Perception
International Aid Program
Support Democratic Processes - Equality

64. Long Term Policy Implications
Reduction of Inequality
Equal Participation
Awareness Education of Us- Them Mentality
Justice Promoted
Interobjectivity
understanding shared within and
between cultures

65. Salient Elements to Eliminate Perceptual Persuasion
Be Educated
Stay Aware
Emote and Release Emotional Energy
Maintain Hope
Motivate Yourself
Think Critically

66. References
Atran, S. (2003, March 7). Genesis of suicide terrorism. Science, 299, 1534–1539.
Bandura, A. (2004). The role of selective moral disengagement in terrorism and counterterrorism. In F. M. Moghaddam & A. J. Marsella (Eds.), Understanding terrorism: Psychosocial roots, causes, and consequences (pp. 121–150). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.

67. References
Borum, David. (2003) Understanding the Terrorist Mind-Set. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 2003, 7-10.
Moghaddam, F. M. (2005). The Staircase to Terrorism. A Psychological Exploration American Psychologist, Vol. 60, No. 2, 161–169.

68. Stephen Link Ph.D. slink@dcccd.edu
Questions
Stephen Link Ph.D.

69. Brief History of Terrorism in the United States
—The Unabomber
1993—The First World Trade Center Bombing
1995—Oklahoma City Bombing
1996— Centennial Olympic Park Bombing
2001—9/11
2001—The Shoe Bomber
2001—Anthrax Attacks
2002—The Beltway Sniper
2006—SUV Attack at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
2009—NYC Subway Bomb Plot
2009—Fort Hood Shooting
2009—Little Rock Recruiting Office Shooting
2009—Underwear Bombing Attempt
2010—Times Square Bombing Attempt
2013—Boston Marathon

70. Research Findings on Elements of Terrorist
Wants change of some kind but feel powerless to have effect or impact.
Feel alienated, disenfranchised or angry.
Feel a need to take action when talking becomes ineffective or no one listens.
Believe that their efforts are not immoral.
Has family or friends sympathetic to a shared cause.
Feels that joining a movement or acting alone empowers them bringing psychological rewards, adventure, a heightened sense of identity and perhaps camaraderie.
Some actually believe a violent act may attract positive attention to their cause.
Lone wolves and large groups both feel a need to strike out if they perceive their lifestyle or culture is in jeopardy.
Revenge is a popular criterion for terrorist violence.
In almost all cases, lone wolves are male.
Lone wolves are known to be lonely people who want to be heard.
Read more:

71. History of Terrorism
The history of terrorism dates back at least 1500 years when Jewish resistance groups ( A.D.) known as Zealots killed Roman soldiers and destroyed Roman property. The term assassin comes from a Shi'ite Muslim sect (Nizari Isma'ilis - also known as hashashins "hashish-eaters") fighting Sunni Muslims ( ) and during Medieval Christendom resisting occupation during the Crusades ( ). The hashashins were known to spread terror in the form of murder, including women and children. The brotherhood of Assassins committed terror so as to gain paradise and seventy-two virgins if killed and to receive unlimited hashish while on earth. The modern development of terrorism began during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror ( ). During this period the term terrorism was first coined.

72. 1920: Wall Street Bombing 30 people died , hundreds injured, destroyed Morgan Building

73. During a series of protests linked to the Sons of Liberty, colonists burn and sack the house of the Massachusetts lieutenant governor, Thomas Hutchinson.

74. Muslim Support of Osama bin Laden?

75. Title 22 of the U.S. Code, Section 2656f(d) defines terrorism as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience.” [1]