The cycle of righteous destruction: a Terror Management Theory perspective on terrorist and counter-terrorist violence

Pyszczynski, Tom; Rothschild, Zachary K.; Motyl, Matt; Abdollahi, Abdolhossein

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511581199.009

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This is especially the case when encountering movements that practice violence or terrorism (Ferguson & Kamble, 2012). However, direct confrontations, whether they occur in interpersonal interaction (Czopp & Monteith, 2003) or between ingroups and outgroups (Nevin, 2004), tend to promote defensiveness at the least and a cycle of violence at worst (Pyszczynski, Rothschild, Motyl, & Abdollahi, 2009). Conflict resolution principles may provide a more effective—albeit more difficult—way to approach ideological clashes (Cohen & Arnone, 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transformation of a White supremacist: A dialectical-developmental analysis.

Mascolo

2017

Qualitative Psychology

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This paper pursues 3 basic aims. First, it outlines a relational model of extremist ideology and ideological transformation. The relational model holds that ideological transformation can occur when ideological advocates are engaged in ways that (a) preserve their dignity, (b) acknowledge and address their interests and grievances, (c) create contradictions internal to their ideological systems, and (d) provide resources for constructing alternative systems that addresses the interests served by the extremist ideology. Second, the paper describes a dialectical-developmental method for tracking the ways in which conflict prompts changes in systems of meaning through 4 dialectical moments: thesis → antithesis → conflict → synthesis. Using this method, third, the paper tracks the process of ideological transformation as represented in a narrative entitled “Confessions of an Ex-White Supremacist” posted on The Experience Project, a website devoted to anonymous discussions of personal experiences. The developmental changes represented in “Confessions” illustrate the circumstances under which conflict generated within an ideological system can motivate transformation and renunciation of that system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transformation of a White supremacist: A dialectical-developmental analysis.

Mascolo

2017

Qualitative Psychology

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“…This can lead to vicious cycles of violence and counterviolence (as described by Pyszczynski and colleagues especially with regard to terrorist and counterterrorist violence; cf. Motyl, Rothschild, & Pyszczynski, 2009; Pyszczynski, Motyl, & Abdollahi, 2009; Pyszczynski, Rothschild, Motyl, & Abdollahi, 2008; Pyszczynski, Vail, & Motyl, 2010).…”

Section: Terror Management Theory and Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tragically, with regard to situations of war it often seems to be common practice to humiliate adversary groups or individual outgroup members, resulting in undermined self-esteem for outgroup members on the collective or personal level (cf. Pyszczynski et al, 2008). Motyl et al (2009) suggested that feelings of humiliation when perceiving ingroup sovereignty and autonomy to have been violated play an important role in motivating people to take part in terrorist activities.…”

Section: Not Destined To Wage War But Where Do We Go From Here?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Situationally activated injunctive norms. Cultural worldviews consist of complex, multifaceted sets of ideas and values usually containing conflict-enhancing as well as conflict-reducing elements (Pyszczynski et al, 2008). The specific situation determines which aspect of people's cultural worldview and which corresponding norm are salient.…”

Section: Pro-social Action In Line With Salient Cultural Norms and Se...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Destined to die but not to wage war: How existential threat can contribute to escalation or de-escalation of violent intergroup conflict.

Jonas¹,

Fritsche²

2013

American Psychologist

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War means threat to people's lives. Research derived from terror management theory (TMT) illustrates that the awareness of death leads people to defend cultural ingroups and their worldviews to attain a sense of symbolic immortality and thereby buffer existential anxiety. This can result in hostile effects of mortality salience (MS), such as derogation of outgroup members, prejudice, stereotyping, aggression, and racism, which, in turn, can lead to the escalation of violent intergroup conflict and, thus, the escalation of war. Yet, escalation of destructive conflict following MS is not automatic. Instead, research on TMT suggests that MS does not necessarily result in conflict and intolerance but can also foster positive tendencies, such as intergroup fairness or approval of pacifism, depending on how existential threat is perceived, whether the need for symbolic self-transcendence is satisfied, which social norms are salient, and how social situations are interpreted. In the present article, we review current TMT research with the aim of reconciling the seemingly contradictory findings of hostile and peaceful reactions to reminders of death. We present a terror management model of escalation and de-escalation of violent intergroup conflicts, which takes into account the interaction between threat salience and features of the social situation. We also discuss possible intervention strategies to override detrimental consequences of existential threat and argue that war is not the inevitable consequence of threat.

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“…Existing theoretical models can provide explanations for a swing to the right (e.g., authoritarianism: Altemeyer, 1996; Doty, Peterson, & Winter, 1991; system justification theory: Jost, Fitzsimons, & Kay, 2004). Terror management theorists have also documented political polarization after social threats, rather than a unidirectional increase in conservatism (e.g., Greenberg & Jonas, 2003; Pyszczynski, Rothschild, & Motyl, forthcoming). As a general rule, the magnitude of the shift towards conservatism and xenophobic violence has been found to be larger than the activation and mobilization of the forces of tolerance (e.g., Skitka et al., 2004).…”

Section: Terrorism Identity and Cross‐cultural Conflict Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrorism, Identity, and Conflict Management

Louis

2009

Social & Personality Psych

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Social psychological research on the consequences and antecedents of terrorism are reviewed, and implications for conflict management are discussed. The research is theoretically and socially interesting because it deals with the intersection of identity and psychological threat with political choices in conflict. A model of identity politics and agentic normative influence is described which draws attention to the importance of stopping the spread of terrorist identity and norms as the key challenge in counter‐terrorism. An identity politics approach would argue that terrorists should be defined narrowly, while non‐violent leaders of the terrorists’ constituents should be recognized and rewarded as representatives of their constituents. As such, the analysis suggests a pessimistic prospect for terror in the 2010s.

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The cycle of righteous destruction: a Terror Management Theory perspective on terrorist and counter-terrorist violence

Cited by 3 publications

References 32 publications

The transformation of a White supremacist: A dialectical-developmental analysis.

The transformation of a White supremacist: A dialectical-developmental analysis.

Destined to die but not to wage war: How existential threat can contribute to escalation or de-escalation of violent intergroup conflict.

Terrorism, Identity, and Conflict Management

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