Psychology of violent religious extremism

Document Type : Academic research papers

Author

Psychology,girl`s college, Ain shams university, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the psychology of religious extremism of a young man who is imprisoned in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior in accordance with Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, with the aim of determining the psychological characteristics of religious extremists. The study also aimed to know the dynamics of personality and the reasons and motives that constitute the psychological environment for religious extremists. The researcher used the case study, interview, case history, and Subject Understanding Test (TAT) Thematic Apperception Test. The study found that among the causes of religious extremism in the case: personal, family and ideological reasons. The study also found that the condition suffers from a decrease in the level of feeling of safety, corresponding to an increase in the feeling of fear and anxiety. Understanding the subject's test cards also revealed the personality dynamics of the case and its dependence on a number of defense means, and the ego's weakness in front of the superego's strength, which prompted it to belong to extremist groups.

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