A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO RADICALIZATION, TERRORISM AND MASS MURDERING

The case of Anders Breivik

Abstract

Anders Breivik is an individual known to have conducted one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in the history of Europe. All evidence suggests that he acted without the direct support of any group or organization. This article addresses the matter of why, but mainly how an individual can radicalize his thoughts and actions to the point of committing mass murder. The present study analyses Anders Breivik’s pathway, from political radicalism to extremist thoughts and, finally, terrorism. An analysis of the Norwegian shooter’s discourse, from his manifesto, based on Bandura’s moral disengagement model proves to be useful, as it explains some of the mental processes involved in the phenomenon of political violence. Other scholars like Horgan, Borum, and McCauley & Moskalenko were also brought to the discussion. All psychological traits should be considered in accordance to their correlation with personal history and situational factors. Understanding and applying psychological models is a crucial task for countering radicalism and political violence, regardless of the analyst’s professional background.