Homeland Security-Psychology and Strategies for Terrorism

Homeland Security-Psychology and Strategies for Terrorism

Terrorism is the illegal use of violence to bully civilians and can be used for the promotion of a political or ideological agenda. Psychology has shown that any personality can be turned into a terrorist. One way of better understanding terrorism is to classify it as agenda-based terrorism, political terrorism, and domestic and international terrorism. These categories assist in understanding the psychology and strategies employed by terrorists. Social psychology focuses on the individual perspective, positing that a unique moves one step at a time into terrorism. Multiple incidents spiral into a defining moment when an individual finally becomes a terrorist (Smith & Zeigler, 2017). Terrorism employs various strategies such as intimidation, outspending, and aggravation to achieve its objectives. Strategically, terrorism can create confusion, tarnish a particular regime’s image, or damage it. Different strategies and psychological explanations for terrorism are most suitable in different situations. In terrorist actions for a political agenda, damaging a government’s image and causing anarchy are the most effective strategies. Other individuals also join terrorist groups for various psychological reasons, such as the spiral stairs and psychosocial models. Fear is the primary tool used by terrorists to inspire a form of deviation from regular behavior (Willard et al. Joshua, 2021).

Terrorist groups also take advantage of media, such as digital media, for the enhancement of their agenda. Homeland security deals with preventing and stopping threats such as terrorism within the borders of a particular country. Anti-terrorism tactics such as disrupting the financing of terrorism indicate that rational individuals lead terrorism organizations with a well-thought-out plan and agenda.

References

Smith, M., & Zeigler, S. M. (2017). Terrorism before and after 9/11–a more dangerous world? Research & Politics, 4(4), 2053168017739757.

Willard M. Oliver, Nancy E Marion, Joshua B. Hill, (2021), Introduction to Homeland security, Policy, Organization, and Administration.

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Homeland Security-Psychology and Strategies for Terrorism

Compare and contrast the psychological explanations for terrorism to strategic answers to terrorism. Which approach is more effective in explaining terrorism and why?