Abstract
Many myths surround terrorists and terrorism, but surely one of the most widely held is that terrorists are crazed fanatics: psychopaths who are completely immune to the suffering of their victims and who always remain ruthlessly committed to their cause. Like many myths, this one is easy to believe, yet is almost always completely untrue. Terrorism is a very emotive subject and terrorist groups have carried out atrocities of appalling scale and horror. The actors themselves can display a formidable commitment to their cause and are often willing to make enormous personal sacrifices as well as to inflict appalling suffering on others. Extreme behaviour, of any sort, invites extreme speculation as to the individuals who carry it out.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Terrorists, Victims and Society |
| Subtitle of host publication | Psychological Perspectives on Terrorism and Its Consequences |
| Editors | Andrew Silke |
| Place of Publication | Chichester |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Chapter | 2 |
| Pages | 29-53 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781119941248 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780471494621 |
| Publication status | Published - 2003 |
Keywords
- terrorist
- terrorism
- political violence
- terrorist psychology
- psychology of terrorism
