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Psychological Preconditions for Terrorism (From Causes of Terrorism in the Federal Republic of Germany, P 69-78, Hans-Dieter Schwind, ed. - See NCJ-72531)

NCJ Number
72535
Author(s)
C Meves
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Social factors producing neuroses and eventually leading to terrorist activities are outlined.
Abstract
Terrorism, as well as increasing rates for theft, addiction, and suicide, are attributed to the growing neuroses of yung people. It can be assumed that terrorist activities are the result of long individual developmental histories under the influence of various endogenous and exogenous factors. Excessive aggressivity in young adults has its roots in inadequate satisfaction of basic needs during childhood years. Old aggressions and fears are then projected on situations in adult life. Such neurotic conditions can become manifest whenever social factors produce stress, especially during puberty. The individual terrorist is likely to experience a number of stages. First a vicious circle of negative behavior is aggravated by feelings of frustration from receiving material objects instead of personal attention, from school experiences, and from the demand in permissive societies that children be independent at a very early age. During the neurotic individual's puberty, signs of terrorist behavior appear under the influence of such ideologies as neomarxism, especially when the individuals are intellectual types. Group formation provides lonely young people with the company that they have long sought and with an opportunity for negative expression of aggressivity. The false education and a destructive notion of equality within the group causes frustration and blocks the development of a sense of reality. The evolution of neurosis is especially dangerous in young women, who accept criminal behavior as the only means open to them to realize their potential. When the blame for subjective unhappiness is placed on a 'bad' society, there is no way out of the criminal group, and the logical conclusion to aggressive, vengeful behavior is suicide. -- German.