12. Mass Radicalization through Martyrdom. Consider psychology of persuasion, we need to trustworthiness is important (because the martyr is willing to give up his/her life, they usually are seen as being true followers of their goal) and expertise (generally higher status martyrs are more successful as it is perceived that they ‘choose death freely’). Martyrs are kept alive in the radical groups memory, e.g. as in Palestine martyrs are remembered through portraits, shrines and rallies.
SOME RESEARCH EXAMPLES
Milgram experiment. The test involves people giving another person taking a test a shock for each answer. Pressured to increase the strength of the shocks while hearing screams from the other room 60% of the people (completely normal random people) went ahead and gradually increased the shocks to the maximum (Milgram,1974).
Zimbardo experiment. Two random groups of people are divided into prisoners and guards and left on their own with no control from the outside. Within a few days the abuse had escalated to a level at which the experiment had to be terminated (Zimbardo, 1971).…
