Sedykh, N. S. Social and Psychological Peculiarities of Involving Youth into Terrorist Activity

Abstract: The article considers terrorism as a part of information-psychological threats of modern times. The author brings up the question about the role of communication media in social structuring of the terrorism phenomenon. Youth is viewed as the main target of manipulative and propagandistic influence aimed at forming their ‘extremist worldview’ and involving them into terrorist activity. In this regard, the author analyzes social and psychological peculiarities of such propaganda on the Internet aimed at forming loyal attitude towards extremism and terrorism as well as morally legitimizing violence. The author analyzes technologies of virtual virus marketing based on the phenomenon of psychological contamination and aimed at developing social fashion allowing certain behavior. In addition, the author also views some peculiarities of using technologies of convincing communication aimed at involving youth into terrorist activities. The author shows that it is necessary to improve information and psychological countermeasures to extremism and terrorism in particular social and historical environment.

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