Application of Criminal Psychology in the Identification and Prevention of Terrorism: An Analysis of Structures, Patterns, and Strategies
Keywords:
Criminal Psychology, Terrorism, Radicalization, Prevention, Violent BehaviorsAbstract
Terrorism, as one of the most complex security threats of the contemporary era, is not merely a political or military phenomenon; rather, in many instances, it is rooted in intricate psychological and social processes. This article adopts an interdisciplinary approach to examine the application of criminal psychology in the analysis, identification, and prevention of terrorist behaviors. Drawing upon qualitative data and analyses derived from prior studies, as well as the existing theoretical framework in the field of criminal psychology, the study seeks to address key questions regarding how this scientific discipline influences recruitment processes, ideological formation, and the execution of terrorist acts. The findings of this study indicate that although the majority of terrorists do not suffer from mental disorders, psychological factors such as identity crisis, perceived injustice, and susceptibility to charismatic leadership play a fundamental role in their path toward radicalization. Furthermore, criminal psychology can contribute significantly to countering the spread of terrorism through the identification of behavioral patterns, the analysis of motivations, and the development of preventive interventions. Finally, the article proposes a set of strategies based on psychological interventions and forward-looking policies aimed at reducing terrorist threats.
Downloads
References
Azargin, A. (2017). An Introduction to Social Psychology. Avaye Noor.
Bartol, C. R. (1995). Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach (4th ed.). Prentice Hall.
Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2014). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Blackburn, R. (1993). The Psychology of Criminal Conduct: Theory, Research and Practice. Wiley.
Borum, R. (2011). Radicalization into Violent Extremism I: A Review of Social Science Theories. Journal of Strategic Security, 4(4), 7-36.
Borum, R., Horgan, J., & Deyanat, K. (2014). The Psychology of Terrorism. Allameh Tabataba'i University Press.
Corner, E., & Gill, P. (2015). A False Dichotomy? Mental Illness and Lone-Actor Terrorism. Law and Human Behavior, 39(1), 23-34.
Corner, E., Gill, P., & Mason, O. (2016). Mental Health Disorders and the Terrorist: A Research Agenda. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 27(2), 151-163.
Cramer, P. (2000). Defense Mechanisms in Psychology Today: Further Processes for Adaptation. American psychologist, 55(6), 637-646.
Deyanat, K. (2017). A Psychological Analysis of Violent Extremism. National Security Quarterly, 7(2), 117-146.
El-Said, H. (2015). New Approaches to Countering Terrorism: Designing and Evaluating Counter Radicalization and De-Radicalization Programs. Palgrave Macmillan.
Esmaeili, S. (2012). Criminal Psychology. SAMT.
Freud, S. (1930). Civilization and Its Discontents. Hogarth Press.
Gill, P., Horgan, J., & Deckert, P. (2014). Bombing Alone: Tracing the Motivations and Antecedent Behaviors of Lone-Actor Terrorists. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 59(2), 425-435.
Gilligan, J. (1996). Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic. Vintage Books.
Gudjonsson, G. H. (2003). The Psychology of Interrogations and Confessions: A Handbook. Wiley.
Gudjonsson, G. H. (2006). The Psychology of Interrogations and Confessions. In G. Davies & R. Bull (Eds.), Handbook of Psychology in Legal Contexts (2nd ed., pp. 133-156). Wiley.
Horgan, J. (2005). The Psychology of Terrorism. Routledge.
Horgan, J. (2008). From Profiles to Pathways and Roots to Routes: Perspectives from Psychology on Radicalization into Terrorism. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 618(1), 80-94.
Kruglanski, A. W., Belanger, J. J., & Gunaratna, R. (2014). The Three Pillars of Radicalization: Needs, Narratives, and Networks. Oxford University Press.
McCauley, C., & Moskalenko, S. (2008). Mechanisms of Political Radicalization: Pathways toward Terrorism. Terrorism and Political Violence, 20(3), 415-433.
McCauley, C., & Moskalenko, S. (2017). Understanding Political Radicalization: The Two-Pyramids Model. American psychologist, 72(3), 205-216.
Meloy, J. R., & Gill, P. (2016). The Lone-Actor Terrorist: A Behavioral Analysis. Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, 3(3-4), 147-150.
Meloy, J. R., & Mohandie, K. (2001). The Clinical Threat Assessment Interview. Journal of Threat Assessment, 1(1), 3-22.
Meloy, J. R., & Yakeley, J. (2014). The Violent True Believer as a “Lone Wolf” – Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Terrorism. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 32(3), 347-365.
Moblaghi, H., & Mohammadi-Kia, S. (2013). Social Psychology of Extremism and Terrorism. Strategic Studies Quarterly, 20(3), 17-34.
Monahan, J. (2012). The Individual Risk Assessment of Terrorism. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 18(2), 167-205.
Motavaseli, M. (2019). Religious Extremism from the Perspective of Criminal Psychology. Sociology of Religion and Politics Quarterly, 5(3), 41-62.
Pines, M. (1986). Bion and Group Psychotherapy. Routledge.
Post, J. M. (2005). The Psychological Dynamics of Terrorism. In T. Bjorgo (Ed.), Root Causes of Terrorism: Myths, Reality and Ways Forward (pp. 97-107). Routledge.
Post, J. M. (2007). The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda. Palgrave Macmillan.
Post, J. M., Ruby, K. G., & Shaw, E. D. (2009). The Radical Group in Context: 1. An Integrated Framework for the Analysis of Group Risk for Terrorism. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(2), 79-100.
Pressman, D. E., & Flockton, J. (2012). Calibrating Risk for Violent Political Extremists and Terrorists: The VERA-2 Structured Assessment. British Journal of Forensic Practice, 14(4), 237-251.
Rabasa, A., Pettyjohn, S. L., Ghez, J. J., & Boucek, C. (2010). Deradicalizing Islamist Extremists.
Reich, W. (1973). The Mass Psychology of Fascism. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Silke, A. (2003). Terrorists, Victims and Society: Psychological Perspectives on Terrorism and Its Consequences. Wiley.
Silke, A. (2011). The Psychology of Counter-Terrorism: Critical Perspectives. Psychology, Crime & Law, 17(5), 533-542.
Sinclair, J., & Motavaseli, M. (2012). Raising a Terrorist. Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies.
Sotoudeh, A. (2022). Criminal Psychology: Theories and Applications. Kharazmi University Press.
Turvey, B. E. (2011). Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis (3rd ed.). Academic Press.
Victoroff, J. (2005). The Mind of the Terrorist: A Review and Critique of Psychological Approaches. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 49(1), 3-42.
Volkan, V. D. (2004). Blind Trust: Large Groups and Their Leaders in Times of Crisis and Terror. Pitchstone Publishing.
Weenink, A. W. (2015). Behavioral Problems and Disorders Among Radicals in Police Files. Perspectives on Terrorism, 9(2), 17-33.
Weine, S., Eisenman, D., Jackson, L. T., Kinsler, J., & Polutnik, C. (2017). Utilizing Mental Health Professionals to Help Prevent Violent Extremism: A Review of the Literature. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 35(5-6), 491-510.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Reza Abed (Author); Asghar Abbasi; Kamian Khazaei (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
