Terrorists are rarely psychopathological, and labeling them so evades political questions
Evidence
Nor does terrorism in general appear to be a result of mental pathologies. Rasch (1979, p. 80), a psychiatrist who has analyzed several members of the West German terrorist organizations, warns that “no conclusive evidence has been found for the assumption that a significant number of them are disturbed or abnormal.” In Rasch’s (1979, p. 79) view, the argument that terrorism is pathological behavior is an attempt to avoid discussion of the political and social issues raised by terrorism. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4088
Categorization
- XREF: Parallels the Frankfurt School finding that the ‘manipulative type’ used bureaucratic process, not personal hatred — both debunking individual-pathology accounts of collective political violence. — connects to: Terrorism is not generally a product of mental pathology — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4088; Terrorism stems from small-group dynamics rather than abnormal personalities — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4179; The mental-disorder theory of terrorism lacks reliable clinical evidence — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4089 (+7 more)
Broader Connections
- Terrorism is not generally a product of mental pathology
#corroborates(1.00) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4088 - Terrorism stems from small-group dynamics rather than abnormal personalities
#corroborates(0.95) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4179 - Terrorism studies situate the cause of violence in the terrorist psyche, not politics
#corroborates(0.95) - Terrorism results from predispositions interacting with political context, not personality alone
#corroborates(0.92) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4086 - Terrorism emerges from the intersection of disposition and environment, not single personality types
#corroborates(0.92) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4086 - The mental-disorder theory of terrorism lacks reliable clinical evidence
#corroborates(0.90) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4089 - Terrorism resists a single psychological explanation because it takes many forms
#corroborates(0.90) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4075 - Terrorists show no shared psychological attitude pattern toward violence
#corroborates(0.88) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4100 - Terrorism is framed as irrational fanaticism rather than political response
#corroborates(0.85) - Portraying terrorists as failed heterosexuals suppresses analysis of political causes
#corroborates(0.80)