The Fear of Terror - Data from German Representative Surveys Before and After September 11

Abstract

Studies of American citizens showed that after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, a substantial proportion of the population in Manhattan, New York, and elsewhere, suffered from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. They had to deal with massive panic attacks, flashbacks, and signs of depression. This study investigated major German representative surveys of effects caused by the acts of terror.

We found that the surveys revealed that the attacks had a strong influence on general well-being in children and on anxiety levels in both adults and children. Alongside the dramatic, anxiety-producing effects of the attacks, the data also showed a tendency towards growing prejudices against Jews and Moslems, but not against foreigners in general. The terror attacks in America produced striking effects and growing anxieties in German citizens. We also discuss mechanisms of climate change towards authoritarian positions from a perspective of social psychology.