Experiment to Study the Effects of Fear and Anger on Perceived Threats of Terrorism

Fear has a certain power over people; it can control them and what they do. In the epic, Beowulf, Grendel carried a fear over the people of Herot; the fear that had kept them from their hall because they feared that Grendel would kill them. In today’s society, the fear of terrorism is similar. Many people fear that someday someone will come and take their life and others that they care about. In Beowulf, people stayed isolated from the hall, but now American people cannot just avoid prominent places that have been attacked. American people have to continue their lives and their day-to-day activities. Soldiers, police, and firefighters are like today’s society Beowulf. The King of the Geats came to Herot and gave people a sense of relief that they would not have to worry about Grendel anymore. Beowulf traveled to

1.) Asa Don Brown, the author of “Desensitization of Terrorism,” focuses on how the influence of the media and social media have desensitized us when it comes to terrorist attacks. Brown directs the article toward an audience who questions why they are no longer as surprised by terrorist attacks when they occur as they used to be. This seems like an extremely odd feeling to have when several people are killed and hundreds are hurt, however, it is the strange reality these days. Terrorist attacks have been happening for years and years now and while we would love to just stop them from occurring, this is blatantly impossible to achieve. He emphasizes in the article, the idea that when terrorist attacks and the terrorists themselves are

Social factors like media propaganda and conformity have prevented me from answering the survey questions rationally. In the aftermath of the tragic event in France on November 13th, there was extensive media coverage on the incident, and the likelihood for future terrorist attack became the hottest topic amongst my family and friends. The media often portrays itself as an objectively neutral source of information, and by doing so they are able to persuade their viewers more effectively. Furthermore, the effectiveness of media propaganda drastically increases if emotional appeals are incorporated in the messages. This can be observed in a study which shows that smokers who got frightened when watching a film on the dangers of smoking, were more likely to quit smoking, and in this case, the media is making use of my fear (Leventhal 1970). Different forms of media, e.g. news on television, newspaper, online news articles, and talk shows, all painted the Syrian refugees as potential threats to our safety. For example, in one article, a journalist discusses the potential danger we would be in if terrorists were to pose as Syrian refugees and

(1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335-343.

political and social circumstances; that is, terrorism involves variables that can be measured on a criminological scale. The measurable by-product can be examined through psychological factors that vacillate with political circumstances. Ross's conclusions lead to two practical considerations.

The possibility of financial gain from the event by Larry Silverstein and stock holders and the benefits of a psychological attack on the American people by the Bush Administration are what have been understood as the reasons for unrest (Avery: “Loose Change”). Though shocking evidence and explanation has been presented the majority of the American public refuses to believe in the 9/11 conspiracy or even consider it. Whether it be because of lack of interest or because of the inability to find logic in believing 9/11 was an inside job, more attention needs to be put forth at the possibility of conspiracy. By analyzing the psychological studies of commenters on 9/11 conspiracy videos, shocking results can be found that can explain why there isn’t enough interest in conspiracies. Whether it be a lack of interest due to its minimal effect on one’s personal life or a wish to avoid government attention due to a fear of getting involved in something he or she shouldn’t, there is a need to put more attention forth toward the conspiracy theory that is in plain view and easily accessible for research.

c. Procedures used & Description of “what they did”. - Each participant was given a set of four different self-report questionnaires. 1. The English Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire asked participants to provide a list of their six daily worry subjects. 2. The Penn State Worry Questionnaire to determine how often they worry about said subject and the level of worry it causes them. 3. The English Why Worry II, a questionnaire that pertained only to positive beliefs. 4. The Metacognitions Questionnaire; a tool that measures beliefs, memory and through awareness.

?Psychology of Terrorism.? Center for International Research on Terrorism. 2007. http://www.terrorismresearchcenter.org/psychology-of-terrorism.html, accessed 16 Aug 2010.

The materials used for this study included PsychMate Student Version 2.0 (St. James, Walter Schneider and Amy Eschman.) Psychology Software Tools, Inc. Along with the PsychMate software, a computer provided by Queens College was used in order to successfully complete the study.

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, members of both parties were in support of how President Bush handled the situation as well as his response thereafter. But after the clean-up was over, and the tears shed dried, another issue has arisen that creates an interesting decision process. What is a terror threat has now become an issue that Washington has dealt with thru the remaining seven years of the Bush administration and into the current seven years of the Obama administration. The article looks at how those who are perceived as less tolerant are more likely to believe in greater threats of terrorism than those who are tolerant. In an experiment that was done in the article, there was an almost pure one hundred percent link between people who had terrorism fears and support of anti-terrorism policies. Essentially this was the people who identified as members of the GOP. The Democrat side of the aisle was considered a bit more skewed as there were people who had little terrorism fears yet supported anti-terrorism

My desire in this paper is an attempt to present a synthesis between the story titled: “fear and Loathing in America” written by Hunter S. Thompson and an abstract from an article retrieved from the UoPeople library titled: “Youth Exposed to Terrorism: the Moderating Role of Ideology” by Slone, Michelle, Lia Shur, and Ayelet Gilady

With unique assessments and the continued citations to contemporary academics and experts in the social sciences, the author provides some validation to even after sixty years. In fact, the author cited relevant works in a post 9/11 environment that searches for answers regarding terrorist movements like Arquilla, Psychology, Sowell and Madigan (Hoffer, 1951, p. ). His book ?touches? on many aspects of political, social, academy and psychology, these scientists should read the book because it sheds light on good and bad, begin, gain momentum and move towards a state of activity.

Rachel Yehuda and Steven Hyman, in their journal, “The Impact of Terrorism on Brain, and Behavior: What We Know and What We Need to Know” (2005), the two analyze the effect terrorism can have on the brain. They supported this by providing factual evidence when they state,"It has now become clear that psychological responses following terrifying events have wide-ranging implications on both mental and physical health." Their purpose is to inform about the mental effects that terrorism as on people in order to prevent any future problems this could cause and to help others struggling with this. Using these facts, they create a more trusted bond between the reader and themselves to insure the reader knows they are a credible source. The article

At the beginning of this subterm, I had a limited understanding of the proper research methods used within psychology. Despite having previously completed several psychology courses, two being upper level courses, there was still much I needed to learn pertaining to psychology research methods. While this research class has been on only an introductory

Psychological tests or psychological assessments are an important asset in the field of psychology. These tests are designed to measure people’s characteristics which pertain to behavior. There are a variety of different types of tests that can be used to assess different types of behaviors. According to the specific behavior or behaviors being assessed, tests are