Terrorist fears after 7/7

1. Terrorist fears after 7/7 Robin Goodwin, SSSL, Brunel University Michelle Willson Matt McKay Alex Bailey Stan Gaines

2. Terrorism and psychology • Terror attacks of 9/11, and attacks in Africa, Russia, UK, Spain and the Middle East, have alerted us to apparent new threats posed by terrorism • Psychological research fairly new. • However, a number of psychological theories available pertinent to this topic. • Include theories of risk (e.g. Slovic), Terror Management Theory (e.g. Greenberg), several theories of group influence.

3. Values and value change • Work on values largely assumed that values remain stable during adulthood. • Such stability reinforced by occupational class structures that maintain value consistency across generations (Kohn et al, 1990). • During periods upheaval in a society it would seem adaptive for individuals to change some of their values to fit their circumstances (Schwartz & Bardi, 1997)

4. Security values particularly responsive to changes in the immediate social context (Boehnke, 2001). Emphasise safety. • Raviv et al (2000) found increase in security values amongst school children following Rabin assassination • Frink, Rose, & Canty (2004) reported significant increases in Security values in the US following Oklahoma terrorist bombing • Verkasalo, Goodwin & Bezmenova (2006) found increase in security following WTC attacks in New York

5. Benevolence concerns welfare of others of importance to you Clinical studies following terrorist incidents suggest a greater concern for family and personal safety (e.g., Applewhite & Dickins, 1997) Development of relatively strong, ‘benevolent’ ties following terrorist incidents (Vertzberger, 1997).

6. Despite an expectation of value change following a major incident as shock and stress wear off, the value pendulum ‘‘begins to swing back’’ (Vertzberger, 1997 We therefore expect values to turn to pre-attack levels in subsequent months. Values and value change

7. Several important ‘adaptive’ behavioural changes may follow an increased terror threat. When under threat may be increased contact with families and friends (Bowlby; TMT). In addition, there are likely to be persisting fears of being a victim, mortality salience (fear of death) and worries that interfere with daily life. These however also liable to decrease over time. These changes may however be related to the individual values of those concerned. Behaviour and cognitive concerns

8. We collected data in September 2003 on values and other predictors of terrorism fears and consequent behaviour on 100 employees of the British Library (BJP, 2005) On July 7th 2005 (“7/7”), four suicide bombers blew themselves up on London Underground trains, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700. Two weeks later a similar attack was attempted but failed due to faulty explosives. Pre July 2005 and after

9. We also collected data in the week following the July 7th bombings (between 7th and 13th July),and at three, one month periods after that. Respondents approached in the street in London and Oxford.

10. Participants 1 No gender differences in samples (x2 (4) = 5.29)

11. Questionnaire (selected items) • Values. Schwartz 21 item (ESS) version of the Schwartz Person Profiles Questionnaire IV. (6-point scales (from not at all like me to very much like me). • Sex, age, location (London or other) • Perceived probability of attack • “How probable do you think a terror attack on Britain is, on a scale of 0% (not at all) to 100% (extremely likely)?” • “How likely is this attack to directly threaten you or you family, on a scale of 0% (not at all) to 100% (extremely likely)?”

12. Have you adapted your schedule to spend more time with your family (friends) since the threat of terrorist attacks? (yes, no or unsure) • Have you contacted family/ friends more since the threat of terrorist attacks? (yes or no), • Are you in a romantic relationship? (yes or no) – then, if yes, • Has the relationship become closer / more distant since the threat of terrorist attacks?” (5 point scale).

13. Would you say that you have been thinking about death and your own mortality more since the threat of attacks upon Britain? (Yes/No). How concerned are you personally about you personally, or a family member. Being a victim of a future terrorist attack in Britain”. Additional questions in 2005

14. Comparisons with 2003 data: Generalised fears of attack F (4, 520) = 4.54, p< .001, 2 .034)

15. General fear of attack post 7/7 (N =429)

16. Comparisons with 2003 data: Personal fears F (4, 520) = 4.92, p< .001, 2 .036

17. Personal fear of attack post 7/7 (N =429)

18. Concerned about being a victim post 7/7

19. Mortality salience post 7/7

20. Difficulty in focusing on job since 7/7

21. Changes in values • Controlling for age and sex, clearest change in values is in security values, which leapt from a M of 4.05 to 4.65 between the September 03 and July 05 samples, and stable about this figure since (F = 8.32, p< .001; 2= .06. • When we compare just London residents, change more marked (F = 9.21, p< .001, 2= .12). • Benevolence values show more complex pattern F (5, 522) = 3.89, p<6 .01, 2 .03), being higher after the bombings in July and August.

22. Security values since 2003

23. Benevolence values since 2003

24. Increase in family contact

25. Values and fear perception • People with values that emphasised security, caring for others, and traditional views were more likely to be worried about being a victim of the attacks, have difficulty focusing on work, and were more likely to increase contact with families (rs .15-.22). • Self-enhancement was negatively correlated with concern about being a victim or contacting families (r = .12)

26. Self-Transcendence Openness to change Universalism 10* Self-Direction -22** Benevolence 18** Stimulation - 07 Tradition 24** Conformity 05 Hedonism -12* Conservation Security 15** Achievement -07 Power -25** Self-Enhancement Values and fear of being a victim, controlling for total value scores

27. Conclusions • Increasing prominence of terrorism threat means this likely to be a topic of concern for a wide range of social scientists • Our work is still at an early stage: analysis of 4 wave data in progress • A number of factors are likely to be important alongside values in perceiving and responding to threat and anxieties related to terrorism