Overview

The psychology of terrorism, in its most basic form, is about fear. Although academics continue to debate the meaning of terrorism, the end result for victims of terrorism is very often fear and terror. Many studying the effects of terrorism have focused more exclusively on discrete psychopathological constructs, most of which are clinically based. Ironically, these paradigms fail to acknowledge the primacy of basic fear in the context of terrorism, as well as how fear affects people in both positive and negative ways-above and beyond whether one meets criteria for a clinical disorder. The purposes of this book are to unpack the complexity of terrorism fears and to present a new paradigm for understanding the psychology of terrorism. As such, this book presents empirical and theoretical frameworks for understanding fear as a dynamic process that motivates and affects people on a myriad of levels, from the individual to society at large. The book also highlights the paradox of how fear can negatively impact people and societies, but also be a central force underlying resilience and post-traumatic growth. Finally, The Psychology of Terrorism Fears discusses how society has changed as a result of terrorism, and specifically, how our own systems for managing terrorism may in fact contribute to fear.

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9780195388114

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Reviews

Sinclair and Antonius confront the psychology of terrorism fears head-on by looking at how people are affected by terrorism threats in a world of terror alerts and often ambiguous official warnings. This book will be valuable for researchers and policymakers interested in building a sustainable framework for preventive interventions, and ultimately, a more resilient public. -Gary LaFree, Director, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), University of Maryland Psychological responses to acts of terrorism or the anticipatory fear of future terrorism-related events represent complex phenomena that continue to challenge scholars from various academic fields. In this volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a very timely and wide-ranging approach to a more comprehensive understanding of these complex psychological processes. Drawing on both empirical and theoretical literature, this extremely well-written and thought-provoking volume is a valuable and significant tool for those interested in the psychology of terrorism-related fears, be they academics, policymakers, practitioners, or laypeople. -- Maria (Maki) Haberfield, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York Does terrorism really terrorize? How does our fear of terrorism drive our understanding of it? And ultimately, do our responses to terrorism simply sustain that fear? In this ambitious and comprehensive volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a much needed review of our knowledge of this critical issue. Effective counterterrorism in the post-9/11 era requires us to rely on a better understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and how we are affected by its perceived threat. The Psychology of Terrorism Fears is essential reading for all policymakers and communications planners who need to know how to prepare for effective disaster communication and threat management. -- John Horgan, Director, International Center for the Study of Terrorism, Pennsylvania State University Sinclair and Antonius have provided a powerful and highly readable conceptual framework for better understanding our psychological reactions to the threat of terrorism. Students, researchers, and practitioners will all find this book to be timely, balanced, and well-written. -- Fathali M. Moghaddam, Professor, Department of Psychology, and Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Department of Government, Georgetown University .. .the authors are to be congratulated on an important scholarly contribution that takes stock of the last, exceedingly fruitful, decade of research on the response to terrorism. Researchers of terrorism, and more broadly all those who are interested in terrorism's psychological effects on its victims, would benefit from this comprehensive book. -- Arie W. Kruglanski, review in <em>PsycCRITIQUES</em>

Sinclair and Antonius confront the psychology of terrorism fears head-on by looking at how people are affected by terrorism threats in a world of terror alerts and often ambiguous official warnings. This book will be valuable for researchers and policymakers interested in building a sustainable framework for preventive interventions, and ultimately, a more resilient public. -Gary LaFree, Director, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), University of Maryland Psychological responses to acts of terrorism or the anticipatory fear of future terrorism-related events represent complex phenomena that continue to challenge scholars from various academic fields. In this volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a very timely and wide-ranging approach to a more comprehensive understanding of these complex psychological processes. Drawing on both empirical and theoretical literature, this extremely well-written and thought-provoking volume is a valuable and significant tool for those interested in the psychology of terrorism-related fears, be they academics, policymakers, practitioners, or laypeople. -- Maria (Maki) Haberfield, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York Does terrorism really terrorize? How does our fear of terrorism drive our understanding of it? And ultimately, do our responses to terrorism simply sustain that fear? In this ambitious and comprehensive volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a much needed review of our knowledge of this critical issue. Effective counterterrorism in the post-9/11 era requires us to rely on a better understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and how we are affected by its perceived threat. The Psychology of Terrorism Fears is essential reading for all policymakers and communications planners who need to know how to prepare for effective dis

<br> Sinclair and Antonius confront the psychology of terrorism fears head-on by looking at how people are affected by terrorism threats in a world of terror alerts and often ambiguous official warnings. This book will be valuable for researchers and policymakers interested in building a sustainable framework for preventive interventions, and ultimately, a more resilient public. <br>-Gary LaFree, Director, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), University of Maryland <br><p><br> Psychological responses to acts of terrorism or the anticipatory fear of future terrorism-related events represent complex phenomena that continue to challenge scholars from various academic fields. In this volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a very timely and wide-ranging approach to a more comprehensive understanding of these complex psychological processes. Drawing on both empirical and theoretical literature, this extremely well-written and thought-provoking volume is a valuable and significant tool for those interested in the psychology of terrorism-related fears, be they academics, policymakers, practitioners, or laypeople. -- Maria (Maki) Haberfield, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York <br><p><br> Does terrorism really terrorize? How does our fear of terrorism drive our understanding of it? And ultimately, do our responses to terrorism simply sustain that fear? In this ambitious and comprehensive volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a much needed review of our knowledge of this critical issue. Effective counterterrorism in the post-9/11 era requires us to rely on a better understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and how we are affected by its perceived threat. The Psychology of Terrorism Fears is essential reading for all policymakers and communications planners who need to know how to prepare for effective dis

Sinclair and Antonius confront the psychology of terrorism fears head-on by looking at how people are affected by terrorism threats in a world of terror alerts and often ambiguous official warnings. This book will be valuable for researchers and policymakers interested in building a sustainable framework for preventive interventions, and ultimately, a more resilient public. -Gary LaFree, Director, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), University of Maryland Psychological responses to acts of terrorism or the anticipatory fear of future terrorism-related events represent complex phenomena that continue to challenge scholars from various academic fields. In this volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a very timely and wide-ranging approach to a more comprehensive understanding of these complex psychological processes. Drawing on both empirical and theoretical literature, this extremely well-written and thought-provoking volume is a valuable and significant tool for those interested in the psychology of terrorism-related fears, be they academics, policymakers, practitioners, or laypeople. -- Maria (Maki) Haberfield, Professor and Chair, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York Does terrorism really terrorize? How does our fear of terrorism drive our understanding of it? And ultimately, do our responses to terrorism simply sustain that fear? In this ambitious and comprehensive volume, Sinclair and Antonius provide a much needed review of our knowledge of this critical issue. Effective counterterrorism in the post-9/11 era requires us to rely on a better understanding of the dynamics of terrorism and how we are affected by its perceived threat. The Psychology of Terrorism Fears is essential reading for all policymakers and communications planners who need to know how to prepare for effective disaster communication and threat management. -- John Horgan, Director, International Center for the Study of Terrorism, Pennsylvania State University Sinclair and Antonius have provided a powerful and highly readable conceptual framework for better understanding our psychological reactions to the threat of terrorism. Students, researchers, and practitioners will all find this book to be timely, balanced, and well-written. -- Fathali M. Moghaddam, Professor, Department of Psychology, and Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Department of Government, Georgetown University ...the authors are to be congratulated on an important scholarly contribution that takes stock of the last, exceedingly fruitful, decade of research on the response to terrorism. Researchers of terrorism, and more broadly all those who are interested in terrorism's psychological effects on its victims, would benefit from this comprehensive book. -- Arie W. Kruglanski, review in PsycCRITIQUES

Author Information

Samuel Justin Sinclair is Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Director of Research at the Psychological Evaluation and Research Laboratory (PEaRL) at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the founder and past president of the Society for Terrorism Research, and a co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of the peer-refereed journal, Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression. He is also a co-editor of Interdisciplinary Analyses of Terrorism and Political Aggression, and a co-editor of the forthcoming volume, Contemporary Debates on Terrorism. Dr. Sinclair is the developer of the Terrorism Catastrophizing Scale (TCS), a psychological assessment tool that measures anticipatory fears of terrorism. Daniel Antonius is Assistant Professor at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Medicine. Additionally, he is a faculty member at the Institute for Social and Psychiatric Initiatives (InSPIRES) and works as a forensic psychologist at Erie County Forensic Mental Health Services in Buffalo. He is a past member of the Governing Board of the Society for Terrorism Research, a co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression with Samuel Justin Sinclair, and a co-editor of Interdisciplinary Analyses of Terrorism and Political Aggression. He has published numerous articles on the neurobiological, behavioral, and societal factors that underlie violence and aggression in individuals and groups.

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