Psychological components modern terrorism

Terrorism is one of the most dangerous and complex phenomena of our time, acquiring ever more threatening scales. At the same time, it should be noted that at present. We still know little about the nature and causes of terrorism, the identity and incentives of individual terrorist behavior.

An important place in the development of measures to prevent and combat terrorist manifestations is occupied by studies of psychological nature of this phenomenon.

It must be borne in mind that the psychology of terrorist activity has significant specificity. “Effective anti-terrorism policy, - writes an American researcher D. Hubbard - depends on understanding what the terrorists think, and why they do what they do; if we take ourselves in as a model, the behavior of terrorists will seem inexplicable”.

Modern terrorism psychologically has a number of distinctive features. Firstly, terrorism is a means of psychological influence. Its distinguishing feature is the deliberate creation of an atmosphere of fear, depression, tension, and not at the individual or narrow group level, but at social level. Creating an environment of fear is expression terrorism, a manifestation of its essence.

It’s main object is not those who became a victim, but those who survived. His goal is not to kill, but to intimidate and demoralize the living.

Secondly, acts of terrorism are committed with particular cruelty, and this is initially planned by their organizers, i.e. they are not performed spontaneously, through negligence or in the state of affect.

Thirdly, terrorism has a cultural basis. Nihilism is a rejection of general ethics. Universal human values are rejected or reduced to nothing - they simply do not exist for modern terrorism. He denies the fundamental human right - the right to life.

Fourthly, terrorism is distinguished by the public nature of its execution. Terrorism without wide publicity, without openly presenting demands does not exist. The terrorists take into account public resonance caused by their actions. In reality, the terrorist act itself does not lead to the achievement of the declared goals.

Often this is just an excuse for terrorists to demonstrate their requirements and capabilities. Without even reaching some big, the main objectives, they reach the intermediate objectives: the organization becoming more famous and “authoritative”, they begin to talk about it.

Fifth, modern terrorism is closely related to the media. Amoralism of terrorists is manifested in the fact that the most brutal crimes are committed by them for the sake of achieving the external effect, which is often achieved through the media. Terrorists need a large audience, maximum response, a wide resonance. Media significantly increase the indirect effects of terrorist shares. It is not by chance that lately the issue of the moral responsibility of the media has been increasingly raised.

From the foregoing it can be concluded that terrorism is a special a form of violence that is characterized by cruelty, dedication and outwardly high efficiency. Psychologically, terrorism is a natural continuation of radicalism, extremism and fanaticism. This is real extremism, not in theoretical discourse, but in direct practical action, carried out with rare fanaticism in the name of absolutely radical ideas and values.

What motivates a person to engage in terrorist activities, what motives are pushing him into a member of a terrorist organization? The answer to this question should be sought in the depths of his psychology.

One cannot but agree with the opinion of Professor D. V. Olshansky, a well-known expert in the psychology of terrorism, who believes that terrorism is a weapon of the weak (physically, materially or spiritually, psychologically).

Psychologists identify a number of personal predispositions which often become the motivating motives of individuals entering the path of terrorism: over-focusing on the protection of their “I” by projection from the constant aggressive-defensive readiness; lack of personal identity, low self-esteem, elements of personality splitting; strong need to join the group; propensity to project on society causes their failures; social isolation and alienation, the feeling of being on the side of society and the loss of life perspective. Political and ideological motives for joining a terrorist group are important in a number of cases. But they are more often a form of rationalization of deeper personal motives - the desire to strengthen personal identity and, most importantly, the needs of belonging to a group.

For the personality of the terrorist is characterized by a negative attitude which occurs under the influence of a number of factors. First of all, they include the discrepancy between the image of an ideal model of the world and oneself in reality and the possibilities of self-realization. This contradiction with the ideal is transformed into a subjective feeling of personal and social inadequacy; as a result, the personality of the terrorist is characterized by the position “I am good, the world is bad”. This position becomes a means of moral self-defense, allowing justifying any destructive actions. Thus, the activity of terrorists takes on the character of destructive self-realization.

In addition to personal, there are a number of social and psychological factors that ensure involvement in terrorist activities. Among them are the following: the use of various kinds of psycho technologies aimed at Brainwashing (suggestive, ideological processing, zombing, etc.); group identification mechanism providing people with impaired self-esteem the opportunity to feel like a full-fledged person, joining the number of "elect, called to correct the world"; conflict situations, especially confrontation with law enforcement bodies, quite often criminal and asocial experience.