ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a consideration of the 9/11 attack and other terrorist attacks. It reviews the research, which yielded some support for the hypothesis that outgroup distrust contributes to terrorism and that outgroup distrust is a consequence of terrorism. The chapter also reviews the research indicating that trust in government increased after the 9/11 terrorist attack but it was temporary. It is guided by the premise that terrorism is a distinct form of warfare that represents the convergence of untrustworthiness and aggression. An insight into terrorism is provided by Social Identity Theory, which was established by Tajfel and his colleagues. The chapter guides the hypothesis that outgroup distrust contributes to and shapes the majority of terrorist acts. Outgroup distrust refers to individuals' lack of trust in others who are perceived to be from a different group, typically identified by race, religion, political beliefs, and economic beliefs.
