Microfoundations of Terrorism: Exit, Sincere Voice, and Self-Subversion in Terrorist Networks

Abstract

Group pressure is a powerful tool at terrorist groups' disposal to uphold its network. The paper presents a behavioral model that explains how the radical leadership sustains group unity by pressuring likely dissidents into conformity. It explains that dissenters face three options. The first is exit, where a dissident leaves the organization to avoid group pressure. The second option is sincere voice or openly challenging the group's preferences. The first two options have prohibitive costs, making the third option, namely self-subversion the dominant response. Self-subversion is the suppression of a dissident's private opinions to conform to the demands of the leadership. One of the repercussions of self-subversion is distortion of collective decisions, leading to the radicalization of the group's members. The paper concludes with some policy prescriptions in the global struggle against international terrorism.

Keywords: Terrorism, dual preference model, self-subversion, intragroup dynamics

JEL Classification: D71, Z10