THE ROLE OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PERSON IN THEIR EXTREMIST AND TERRORIST THREAT EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of social and psychological characteristics of an individual in their experience of threat of extremism and terrorism. A brief review of the work of authors involved in the study of this subject is presented. The article also describes contradictions that determine the research problem . The objective of the work is to study the relationship of extremist and terrorist threat experience and socio-psychological characteristics of a person from a regional perspective (terrorist activity in the region). Methods applied are as follows: theoretical analysis (analysis of scientific literature, synthesis, interpretation), empirical methods (questionnaires, survey), statistical treatment (correlation analysis by Spearman, Mann-Whitney test, multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis). The result of empirical research conducted in Penza and Volgograd showed that the individual experience of extremist and terrorist threat is due to different degree of intensity of empathy, altruism, aggression and sensitivity to terrorist threat, susceptibility to anti-democratic ideology, expectation of a positive attitude towards themselves and life sense making. The paper presents and describes «destructive№, «accepting», «adaptive», «denying» and «uncomfortable» types of extremist and terrorist threat experience. Scope of results application: social psychology, psychology of extremism, psychology of stressful situations experience.