Misperceived Motives of Female Terrorism: Its Antecedents and Consequences

In this research, comprising three studies, we aimed to explore the psychological dynamics underlying the misperceptions of female terrorism, suggesting that female terrorists are often judged as being less motivated by idealistic or politico-religious reasons. Exploratory Factor analysis in Study 1 (N = 109) revealed that, in the eyes of the observers, religious and political motives of female terrorism formed a single dimension. Study 2 (N = 825) and Study 3 (N = 695) employed Structural Equation Modelling to examine the role of male collective narcissism as a predictor and resistance to programs addressing female terrorism as a consequence. Findings from Studies 2 and 3 consistently demonstrated that male collective narcissism significantly predicts the misperceived motives of female terrorism and resistance to related programs (i.e., counter-terrorism, deradicalization). Furthermore, the misperceived motives of female terrorism mediate the relationship between male collective narcissism and resistance to these programs. Extending Study 2, Study 3 revealed that the perception of illegitimacy surrounding such programs plays a critical role in explaining why misperceived motives of female terrorism resulted in increased resistance. These results underscore the importance of addressing the psychological roots of societal resistance to combat terrorism involving women effectively.