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Chapter 16 Homework: Social Psychology of Today’s Terrorism and Suicide bombing
Your response to this assignment will earn up to 20 points.
Terrorism is on minds constantly these days, although it is an old tactic used by militarily and economically weaker groups against perceived more powerful oppressors. We have the American military engaging in conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan to stop terrorism, terrorist attacks on our military and civilians in those countries, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the Madrid train bombings of April 2004, frequent suicide bombings in Israel and the Palestinian territory, terrorist bombings in Chechnya and Moscow, and the constant threat of more terrorists attacks in the United States. Many terrorists’ attacks are suicide missions or at least involve near certain death or capture by the attackers.
What causes a human being to behave in such a way that is so foreign to American values, attitudes, and moral behavior? Is it really different from us or merely a variation on our American ways caused by circumstances? Or are the terrorists and suicide bombers crazy deviants who have no values or morals, derive pleasure from reaping havoc and destruction on the lives of others, and have little to live for in their own families and communities? Are they sane, rational, and heroic martyrs who sacrifice their own lives to save their people from evil oppressors? What do we know about suicide terrorists, and what influences their behavior to destroy their own lives in order to kill others?
Read four of the following articles before composing your response to this assignment. You must read either #1 Silke or #2 Atran as one of the four. Before someone has an anxiety attack – here is the Library e-journals index where you can find all of the journals below: http://library.sjsu.edu/electronic-journals-index/electronic-journals-index , then you proceed to the year and issue and page number to find the exact article.
Silke, A. (2004). Courage in dark places: reflections on terrorist psychology. Social Research, 71, (1), 177-199.
Atran, S. (2003). Genesis of suicide terrorism. Science, 299, (5612). 1534-1540.
Plous, S. & Zimbardo, P. (2004, Sept. 10). How social science can reduce terrorism. The Chronical of Higher Education, 51, (3), B9.
Dingfelder, S. F. (2004, November). Fatal friendships. Monitor on Psychology, 35, (10), 20-21.
Begley, S. (2003, April 4). Likely suicide bombers include some profiles you would never expect. Wall Street Journal, B1.
Graham, P. (2004, June). Beyond Fallujah. Harper’s Magazine, 308, (1849), 37-48. The author is a Canadian journalist who spent a year living with a family in the area of Iraq most prone to attacks on the American military and civilian contractors. He describes the experience of the community residents shortly after the Americana invasion up through April 2004, including attacks on Americans.
Hoffman, B. (1999). The mind of the terrorist: perspectives from social psychology. Psychiatric Annals, 29, (6), 337-441.
Your typed response to this topic:
1. Briefly compare the typical (also called stereotypic) perception of terrorists and suicide bombers held by the American public and our government (from your experience of hearing the news, reading, talking with others before this assignment) with the perception portrayed in the four articles you read from the above list. Identify the four articles your read (5 points). APA format is NOT required; merely cite or refer to the articles or authors in-text, so I know which one you are referencing.
2. Describe how seven of the following 10 concepts from the textbook apply to understanding suicide terrorism as it is described in the assigned articles your read. The articles by Silke in Social Research and Atran in Science have the most direct references to these concepts. (Highlight your use of the concepts with bold, or italics, or capital letters, or underlining, etc so I can easily see your use of them). One point for use of each concept = 7 points;
Confirmation bias (Chap. 9 p. 373) and belief perseverance phenomena (Chap. 9 p. 377)
Fundamental attribution error (use Subject Index at back of text),
Americans’ attitudes about terrorists (cognition + affect) and its influence on our national behavior),
Conformity and obedience in the terrorist groups,
Social facilitation in the terrorist groups,
Groupthink in the United States government,
Stereotyping by both terrorists and Americans,
In-group vs. out-group characterizations
Enemy perceptions in conflict
Altruism within terrorist groups (selfless sacrifice to enhance survival chances for members of my group).
3. Role of belief/faith in shaping attitudes and behavior – how do terrorists avoid cognitive dissonance and come to see killing others and their own suicide as good? Outline the beliefs that influence the terrorist’s aggressive behavior and feelings about it. How is the terrorist’s harmful action toward others perceived by the terrorist’s friends and family? (3 points)
4. Apply the textbook Chap. 16 concepts of peacemaking (cooperation, communication, and conciliation) plus your knowledge gained from these assigned articles to describe what needs to be done to reduce terrorism in the Middle East. (3 points)
5. Rush Limbaugh frequently describes college and university faculty as liberals who brainwash and coerce students psychologically to become more liberal in their thinking and political views by compelling them to do assignments such as this. He says that this sort of assignment leads students to not know right from wrong and see their own country in a negative light as though we are the bad guys here, when actually we are the good guys who are trying to stop senseless killing and brutality in the world.
How do you see this assignment and your college faculty in general compared to Rush’s perception of us? You will not earn points for this section without supporting your views with examples from your college experience. Education requires the free expression and consideration of diverse perspectives. Does understanding the influences on terrorists behavior cause acceptance of it? If we understand the causes of terrorism (or anything evil), do we then tacitly approve or condone it? (2 points)
(I have paraphrased Rush from listening to his radio program over time. Finding quotes from him is very difficult without subscribing to his newsletter or paying to access his web site. I have done my best to accurately summarize his frequent characterization of college faculty like me. You are invited to improve upon my paraphrasing if you feel you have a more accurate version. You may agree with Rush and not incur my wrath.)
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