Applying Psychological Theories of Personality, Identity, and Intergroup Conflict to Radical Violence: A Case Study of Extremist Behavior

• Main Author: Flynn, Sydney
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarship @ Claremont 2018
• Subjects: extremist; intergroup conflict; abnormal; psychology; conscience; id; ego; superego; Lasswell; Tajfel; Applied Behavior Analysis; Experimental Analysis of Behavior; International Relations; Near and Middle Eastern Studies; Other International and Area Studies; Political Theory; Social Psychology; Theory and Philosophy
• Online Access: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1890; http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2995&context=cmc_theses

This paper aims to address possible psychoanalytical explanations for the heinous acts in which terrorists, particularly ISIS, engage. It focuses on Harold D. Lasswell’s principles of the id, ego, and superego as well as Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory. Within the framework of these two theories, relevant psychological and social psychological theories are discussed in order to explore a possible connection between the psyche of violent perpetrators and their actions. By exploring these connections, I find that there may be more nuanced psychological explanations for these violent acts, which could lead to new methods of weakening perceived biases, intergroup conflicts, and extremist behavior.