ABSTRACT
Terrorism is predominantly a group phenomenon. 1 This draws attention to the second part of the multilevel analytical framework outlined in Chapter 2; namely, the role of group dynamics. How do terrorist groups influence the worldview and behavior of their participants? In this first of two chapters on group dynamics and involvement in terrorism, the focus is on the group processes that draw and bind people to terrorist groups. Seven group-level hypotheses are analyzed and applied to the data on the Hofstadgroup to understand the role of group dynamics in bringing about participation and how they subsequently influenced participants’ adoption of radical and extremist beliefs. The analysis of the role of group dynamics is completed in the next chapter, which discusses their influence on the commission of actual terrorist attacks.
