TERRORISM IS DEFINED AS A TACTIC OR TECHNIQUE USED TO CREATE FEAR FOR COERCIVE PURPOSES; IT MAY BE CONSTITUTED OR MANIFESTED AS AN ACT OR THREAT. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ADJUST TO THE WILL OF THE DOMINANT MAJORITY AND ENGAGE IN ACTS WHICH TERRORIZE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. MENTAL DEFICIENCY, NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCE, OR SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCE INGESTION ARE CITED AS CAUSES OF THEIR BEHAVIOR. THE MALADJUSTMENT OF TERRORISTS TO SOCIETY MAY HAVE BEEN AGGRAVATED BY ABNORMAL BODY SIZE; AND/OR PROBLEMS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, OR PARENTHOOD. TERRORISTS ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALLY, BUT THE TYPICAL GANG MEMBER, AGGRAVATED BY THE DYNAMICS OF PEER PRESSURE, FEAR OF REJECTION, AND THE PREVALENCE OF THOUGHT DISORDERS, IS A CONFORMIST. THEIR ATTITUDES FLUCTUATE BETWEEN GUILT AND CONTENTMENT. INITIALLY, THEY RATIONALIZE AND NEUTRALIZE THEIR WRONG-DOING BY MAKING ILLOGICAL INFERENCES. THEIR SKEWED THINKING PATTERNS EVENTUALLY LEAD TO EXTERNALIZING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, AND THEY NO LONGER HAVE FEELINGS OF REMORSE. AS THE TERRORIST MOVES INTO THE SOCIOPATHIC WORLD, HIS ACTIONS, RATHER THAN THE REASONS FOR HIS ACTIONS, BECOME HIS PRIMARY CONCERN. THE EVOLUTION OF A TERRORIST IS DETAILED: (1) ASSISTED BY PROPAGANDA, THE PERSON RETHINKS HIS ORIGINAL VALUES AND DEVELOPS A SET OF ALTERNATIVE VALUES, WHICH MAKE THE NEED FOR CONTROL APPARENT; (2) MEMBERS OF TERRORIST GROUPS COERCE EACH OTHER TO MAINTAIN THE CADRE; DRUGS MAY BE USED TO STIMULATE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MEMBERS; (3) GROUP MEMBERS LOSE ALL EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS TO SOCIETY AND BECOME AN END UNTO THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEW IDEALS; AND (4) THEY ARE WILLING TO ATTACK OR TAKE ANY LIFE AS WELL AS GIVE HIS OWN FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IS JUST. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (JCP)