Psychology of Terrorism

Psychology of Terrorism

Q1. The background reading describes attributes that are part of a psychological profile of a terrorist. Discuss whether these attributes are consistent with Osama Bin Laden's character.

Terrorism can be loosely defined as the use of illegal and unfair means to implement the principles at will, thus subjugating the affected to agree to them despite their inappropriateness. Terrorism could be a result of many factors, and there are different perspectives to it. In this section, we will assess, what could be the possible reasons for the illegal acts of terrorism.

Most of the historians hold the point of view that terrorism is essentially a political phenomenon. Historically, powerful nations, including, Britain, France, Portugal etc. were involved in using terrorism as a tool to strengthen their unjustified rule over the colonial states. The two World Wars in 1914 and 1939 gave further impetus to the concept that terrorism is characterized by the use of force, which resulted in colossal loss and suffering to the mankind. The ongoing atrocities in the Middle East and Kashmir testify to the political nature of terrorism. Both Palestine and India are involved in State Terrorism, a modern offshoot of the political concept (White, 2006).

The greatest consequence of terrorism is human suffering. Terrorism has had a profound, negative impact on the society as a whole. Rapid industrialization and globalization have caused a major damage to the society. The prevalence of social stratification, ethnic differences, poverty, diseases, hunger, unemployment, homelessness and other factors has all contributed significantly towards intensifying a feeling of hatred that prevails among the under-developed and developing countries against the countries which are economically strong. This is the main reason behind the frustration among the countries, which fail to cope up with the pace of development.

From a psychological perspective, terrorism is an act of violence that reflects the motive behind systematic murder enshrined in specific mental structures at the service of the justification of the pattern of attacks. The actions of a terrorist do not involve an irrational act for them, despite being socially abnormal under the customs of the time. In addition, it can be said that the intent of the terrorist goes beyond murder or sabotage, as their goal is governed by a devastating psychological effect that causes an occasional unrest. The terrorist thinks and feels that he has a purpose to liberate the society from the ills. He feels he must bring about a change, which is practically and legally not acceptable to the civilized society. The factors that cause this notorious behavior are diverse and are responsible to urge an individual defy the norms to compensate for a little self-esteem (Simonsen, 2006).

The most important feature of the religious terrorism is a distinct social dimension. All the religious and radical movements and organizations advocate for social justice, for social equality. Thus, they create appeal among religious illiterates and unemployed populations.

All of the religions discourage, reject, and condemn the acts of terrorism in all its forms and ...