ABSTRACT
Many of the most intriguing and publicized events in the media seem to center around individuals who take radical courses of action in defense of their values. The abortion debate perhaps best illustrates this phenomenon. For example, Michael Griffin, a pro-life activist, shot and killed Dr. David Gunn, a Florida physician who performed abortions as part of his regular practice. Ironically, radical pro-lifers later justified Griffin’s actions by appealing to the value they placed on the sanctity of life. Weeks later, Rochelle Shannon, another pro-life activist, shot and wounded another physician who performed abortions. Such extreme expressions of one’s values have puzzled both the general public and the psychological community for a number of years.
