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Who is Prone to React to Coinciding Threats of Terrorism and War? Exploring Vulnerability Through Global Versus Differential Reactivity

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Abstract

This study addressed reactions of Israelis to terrorism and the confrontation with Iraq when these threats coincided in 2003. A sample of 471 participants (age range 19–88) rated affective, cognitive, and behavioral reactions to each threat. Stronger reactions related to higher neuroticism, lower education, and being a woman; reactions to the confrontation with Iraq also related to lower extraversion and being a Holocaust survivor. Participants reacting predominantly to terrorism revealed higher conscientiousness and better subjective health. The study suggests that global reactivity to a critical dual-stressor situation is linked with risk factors of vulnerability whereas differential reactivity may indicate adaptability.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Ruth Zeligman for her assistance in conducting the research. We thank Yossi Schwartz and Niv Gross for their help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Dov Shmotkin & Giora Keinan

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  1. Dov Shmotkin
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  2. Giora Keinan
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Correspondence to Dov Shmotkin.

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Shmotkin, D., Keinan, G. Who is Prone to React to Coinciding Threats of Terrorism and War? Exploring Vulnerability Through Global Versus Differential Reactivity. Community Ment Health J 47, 35–46 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9354-9

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