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PSYCHOLOGY

Willingness to fight and die

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From Nature Human Behaviour

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What would motivate someone to willingly enter frontline combat against the Islamic State? New research finds three compelling reasons: commitment to some sacred values, forsaking commitment to their own kin for those same values, and belief in the spiritual strength of one’s own group compared to that of the enemy.

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References

  1. Gómez, Á. et al. Nat. Hum. Behav. 1, 0193 (2017).

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  2. Atran, S. Curr. Anthropol. 57, S192–S203 (2016).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Global Studies Institute and the Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA

    John G. Horgan

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  1. John G. Horgan
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Correspondence to John G. Horgan.

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Horgan, J.G. Willingness to fight and die. Nat Hum Behav 1, 628–629 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0198-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0198-y

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