TY - JOUR
T1 - The psychology of suicide terrorism
AU - Post, Jerrold M.
AU - Ali, Farhana
AU - Henderson, Schuyler W.
AU - Shanfield, Stephen
AU - Victoroff, Jeff
AU - Weine, Stevan
N1 - Funding Information:
According to the article which reported the episode, his classmates responded Allah Akbar (God is great). The teacher, demonstrating that the entire system is deeply involved, yelled, “May the virgins give you pleasure,” referring to one of the rewards awaiting martyrs in paradise, while the principal smiled and nodded his approval. The value of martyrdom continues to be emphasized throughout the student’s education, continuing into university. Signs in the classroom at Al-Najah University in the West Bank and at Gaza’s Islamic University state, “Israel has nuclear bombs. We have human bombs” (Kelley, 2001). Similarly, the final exercise of the summer camp sponsored by the Palestinian Authority has young campers with ski masks or keffiyas wrapped around their faces, storming a mock Israeli Defense Force outpost, and the campers who were able to “kill” the simulated Israeli soldier won the award for their bunk. They were being trained, not to be terrorists, but to be soldiers joining the revolution.
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - This paper reviews current understandings of the psychology of suicide terrorism for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to help them better understand this terrifying phenomenon. After discussing key concepts and definitions, the paper reviews both group and individual models for explaining the development of suicide terrorists, with an emphasis on "collective identity." Stressing the importance of social psychology, it emphasizes the "normality" and absence of individual psychopathology of the suicide bombers. It will discuss the broad range of terrorisms, but will particularly emphasize terrorism associated with militant Islam. The article emphasizes that comprehending suicide terrorism requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes anthropological, economic, historical, and political factors as well as psychological ones. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for research, policy, and prevention, reviewing the manner in which social psychiatric knowledge and understandings applied to this phenomenon in an interdisciplinary framework can assist in developing approaches to counter this deadly strategy.
AB - This paper reviews current understandings of the psychology of suicide terrorism for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to help them better understand this terrifying phenomenon. After discussing key concepts and definitions, the paper reviews both group and individual models for explaining the development of suicide terrorists, with an emphasis on "collective identity." Stressing the importance of social psychology, it emphasizes the "normality" and absence of individual psychopathology of the suicide bombers. It will discuss the broad range of terrorisms, but will particularly emphasize terrorism associated with militant Islam. The article emphasizes that comprehending suicide terrorism requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes anthropological, economic, historical, and political factors as well as psychological ones. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for research, policy, and prevention, reviewing the manner in which social psychiatric knowledge and understandings applied to this phenomenon in an interdisciplinary framework can assist in developing approaches to counter this deadly strategy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=66149097673&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=66149097673&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1521/psyc.2009.72.1.13
DO - 10.1521/psyc.2009.72.1.13
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19366292
AN - SCOPUS:66149097673
SN - 0033-2747
VL - 72
SP - 13
EP - 31
JO - Psychiatry
JF - Psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -