| dc.description.abstract | This thesis uses network-, and behaviour- analysis on the lone-actor terrorists Anders Behring Breivik three years before his terrorist attack July 22nd, 2011. The purpose of this thesis is looking at structures of social reinforcement as one of the reasons for the radicalization. In addition to this, early history is also included for a wider understanding of the potential stimuli that made up Breivik´s learning history and reinforcement schedules. The structures of reinforcing contingencies in Breivik´s network is understood as a complex system in which Breivik minimized entropy by halting information flow between other nodes to avoid detection from government officials. The study found that Breivik had a network with substantial amounts of structural holes and utilized the social capital of other nodes to his benefit in the planning, training and execution of the terror attack July 22nd, 2011. The relations he had, and the lack of others, mitigated and enforced radical or extremist views as understood in a complex system led to acts terrorism, as understood in this thesis as an emergent product. To better understand the functions of behaviour of marginalized individuals that commit violent acts of terror more research is needed. As such, this thesis emphasizes the importance of consilience among different fields of science with the aim at understanding violent acts of terrorism as to better prevent them in the future. | en_US |
