SEPTEMBER 11 LECTURE EXAMINES THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TERROR

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - This Thursday, on the second anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the University of Arkansas will host a lecture by nationally-known psychologist Jeff Greenburg, co-author of the 2002 book, "In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror." Greenburg will discuss the psychological mechanisms that can turn feelings of fear and vulnerability into reactions of hostility and hate.

An experimental psychologist at the University of Arizona, Greenburg studies the ways that people cope in the aftermath of violent events and how those coping methods influence their outlook and actions. His Terror Management Theory posits that, when forced to confront their fears of death, people react in predictable ways. First, they strongly associate themselves with the longstanding values and views of their culture. Second, they attempt to bolster their individual self-esteem.

"The core of Greenburg’s theory is that human self-awareness, which gave us the evolutionary advantage of being able to plan, has the side effect of allowing us to look forward to our own deaths. It’s an existential terror at the heart of being human," explained Eric Knowles, UA professor of psychology. "Typically, we cope with that terror through denial and inattention, but certain events can jolt us into facing it and reacting to it."

Greenburg will discuss the immediate and long-term aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks and Americans’ reactions to them. The lecture takes place at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Giffels Auditorium, Old Main. Sponsored by the UA psychology department and the Marie Wilson Howells Foundation, the event is free and open to the public.

Clinical psychology has played a crucial role in mitigating the traumatic effects of September 11 on individual witnesses and survivors. But as an experimental psychologist, Greenburg helps explain how the personal trauma of the attacks translated into a nationwide reaction. His research also offers insight into the origins of prejudice, cultural hatred and hostility.

To assuage the feelings of anxiety and vulnerability associated with thoughts of death, people more strongly adhere to their culture and its values. Greenburg believes this is a way for people to assure themselves that they are part of a meaningful and enduring system, one that transcends individual mortality.

As a result, cultural worldview becomes increasingly tied to personal identity. And because people also attempt to bolster their self-esteem during times of vulnerability, alternative or conflicting worldviews often come to seem inferior and intolerable.

Numerous studies have shown that the mere thought of death can trigger cultural adherence and raise issues of self-esteem, which in turn can contribute to greater intolerance and sometimes hostility. In one experiment, Greenburg asked municipal court judges to set bail for a woman accused of prostitution. Prior to rendering judgement, half the judges completed an exercise in which they contemplated their own deaths. These judges subsequently set bail eight times higher than those who weren’t asked to think about death.

"Death is inescapable. There’s no way around the terror of it. But it’s possible that it can be managed more effectively. If a nation emphasizes those parts of culture that are inclusive, tolerant and supportive and makes those its core values, then binding yourself to those values will not have detrimental effects for others," Knowles said.

"Greenburg’s lecture will open people’s eyes to the reasoning behind their reactions. And that offers a chance to change or at least check those reactions," he added. "There may be more benign ways of binding to culture and raising self-esteem."