The Staircase to Terrorism: A Psychological Exploration.
Abstract
To foster a more in-depth understanding of the psychological processes leading to terrorism, the author conceptualizes the terrorist act as the final step on a narrowing staircase. Although the vast majority of people, even when feeling deprived and unfairly treated, remain on the ground floor, some individuals climb up and are eventually recruited into terrorist organizations. These individuals believe they have no effective voice in society, are encouraged by leaders to displace aggression onto out-groups, and become socialized to see terrorist organizations as legitimate and out-group members as evil. The current policy of focusing on individuals already at the top of the staircase brings only short-term gains. The best long-term policy against terrorism is prevention, which is made possible by nourishing contextualized democracy on the ground floor.
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The peer-reviewed radicalisation literature converges on a picture more complex than classical ideological typologies admit.
“The peer-reviewed radicalisation literature converges on a picture more complex than classical ideological typologies admit.”
From Geopolitical competition, online radicalisation, and organisational culture as vectors of the evolving insider threat (2026) · cites this paper as [35]
Moghaddam's staircase model posits progressive narrowing through stages of radicalisation.
“Moghaddam's staircase model posits progressive narrowing through stages of radicalisation [35]”
From Geopolitical competition, online radicalisation, and organisational culture as vectors of the evolving insider threat (2026) · cites this paper as [35]
Cites
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For better or worse: The impact of upward social comparison on self-evaluations
Collins, R. L. (1996) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.119.1.51 · Cited by 1,166 · see citing works
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Relative Deprivation: A Theoretical and Meta-Analytic Review
Smith, H. J., Pettigrew, T. F., Pippin, G. M., & Bialosiewicz, S. (2012) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868311430825 · Cited by 1,255 · see citing works
An Exploration of the Involuntary Celibate (Incel) Subculture Online
O’Malley, R. L., Holt, K., & Holt, T. J. (2022) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260520959625 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Inoculating against the spread of Islamophobic and radical-Islamist disinformation
Lewandowsky, S., & Yesilada, M. (2021) · Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications · doi:10.1186/s41235-021-00323-z · Cited by 62 · see citing works
The Role of Perceived Injustice and Need for Esteem on Incel Membership Online
O’Malley, R. L., & Helm, B. (2023) · Deviant Behavior · doi:10.1080/01639625.2022.2133650 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Wood, P. (2026) · Discover Global Society · doi:10.1007/s44282-026-00510-7
“Moghaddam’s staircase model posits progressive narrowing through stages of radicalisation [35], but the contemporary online environment compresses and accelerates these stages [3].”
- Authors
- Moghaddam, F. M.
- Affiliations
- Georgetown University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Moghaddam, Fathali M.
- Venue
- American Psychologist
- Published
- 2005
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 161-169
- ISSN
- 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
- 1935-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2090680402
- Cited by
- 1,208
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 63 · 2025: 83 · 2024: 103 · 2023: 101 · 2022: 105 · 2021: 97 · 2020: 160 · 2019: 104 · 2018: 83 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 55.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- terrorism, terrorist recruitment, social exclusion, perceived injustice, outgroup hostility, counterterrorism policy, counterterrorism, socialization
- MeSH terms
- Aggression, Humans, Morals, Terrorism
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