Fear and its vicissitudes

Abstract

The USA has been a changed society since 9/11: the Zeitgeist either has a background of low-level angst, or when an attack occurs or a threat is sounded, the fear peaks and comes to the foreground for a time. Perhaps nothing demonstrates the degree to which fear permeates contemporary culture more than the continual presence of the measures the USA takes to be safe: airport security, the Patriot Act, the mining of formerly private information by the government, to name but a few. Can we account for the pervasive nature of fear solely by the devastating and deadly attacks 15 years ago, unspeakably horrifying though they were? This paper will explore this omnipresent fear in contemporary American culture from a psychoanalytic perspective, and in so doing hopes to shed light on the nature of that fear, why it is so persistent despite 15 years without any sequels, and what the consequences of that fear are for the American way of life. The discussion will be rounded out by linking this pervasive fear to the violence that is endemic to our age.     

The massacre mentality and school rampage shootings in the United States: Separating culture from psychopathology

School rampage shootings in the United States are becoming a common occurrence. The purpose of this article is place school rampage shooting in a broader cultural context. Specifically, in this article, I introduce the concept of the “massacre mentality” as a cultural manifestation of western and southern U.S. values. The massacre mentality is a state of mind in which the individual feels justified in committing indiscriminate killings in defence of honour, protection of property, assurance of absolute personal safety, or the elimination of challenges to the “natural order” from the perspective of the offender. A review of the social psychological literature will contrast the massacre mentality with related concepts of “culture of honour” and “sanctioned massacre.” The relationship between street violence, another major form of violence, and the massacre mentality is also addressed. A cultural analysis suggests that interactions between individual psychology in the form of U.S. regional values and sociocultural context of schools contribute to school rampage shootings more often than mental illness. The prevention of school rampage shootings will require the identification of students predisposed to adopt the values contributing to the massacre mentality and challenging social hierarchies by restructuring the context of schools, as well as changing cultural norms in the broader society. The ultimate goal is to create a U.S. culture where the massacre mentality is obsolete.     

Coping responses in the midst of terror: The July 22 terror attack at Utøya Island in Norway

This study examined the peri‐trauma coping responses of 325 survivors, mostly youth, after the July 22, 2011 terror attack on Utøya Island in Norway. The aim was to understand peri‐trauma coping responses and their relation to subsequent post‐traumatic stress (PTS) reactions. Respondents were interviewed face‐to‐face 4–5 months after the shooting, and most were interviewed at their homes. Peri‐trauma coping was assessed using ten selected items from the “How I Cope Under Pressure Scale” (HICUPS), covering the dimensions of problem solving, positive cognitive restructuring, avoidance, support seeking, seeking understanding, and religious coping. PTS reactions were assessed with the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index. The participants reported using a wide variety of coping strategies. Problem solving, positive cognitive restructuring, and seeking understanding strategies were reported most often. Men reported using more problem‐solving strategies, whereas women reported more emotion‐focused strategies. There were no significant associations between age and the use of coping strategies. Problem solving and positive cognitive restructuring were significantly associated with fewer PTS reactions. The results are discussed in light of previous research and may help to inform early intervention efforts for survivors of traumatic events.     

School Counselors' Experiences With Lockdown Drills: A Phenomenological Investigation

Lockdown drills are used in pre-K–12 public schools throughout the country; however, little research exists regarding their impact on students and school staff (Ilk, 2018). Because of school counselors' role in both prevention of and response to school gun violence (American Counseling Association, 2018), we used a phenomenological approach to investigate their experiences with lockdown drills (N = 26). Results included the following three themes: (a) school counselors' sense of duty to follow school protocol, (b) unintended emotional consequences related to lockdown drills, and (c) school counselors navigating complexities. Implications for school counselors and corresponding school procedures are discussed.     

Who lives,who dies,who decides: Differences between mass public shooters who survive,are killed,and commit suicide

This study provides an in-depth analysis of American mass public shooting conclusions between 1966 and 2017. Specifically, this work examines differences in factors contributing to the perpetrator's likelihood of surviving, being killed, and committing suicide. Ten hypotheses, rooted in previous homicide, suicide, homicide-suicide, and mass public shooting literature consider different psychological, situational, and background factors shaping the outcome of mass public shootings. Significant findings indicate factors influencing perpetrators' suicide include suicidal ideation, higher victim counts, and suicide copycat effects. Factors influencing perpetrators being killed similarly include higher victim counts, the arrival of law enforcement, lethal/non-lethal resistance, and government targets. This investigation provides practical implications for practitioners and policymakers, especially law enforcement and mental health practitioners, seeking to develop intervention and prevention strategies for addressing suicidal ideation and its most lethal outcome: mass public shootings.