The morality of martyrdom and the stigma of suicide. Issue 4 (27th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rottman, Joshua; Kelemen, Deborah
• Is Part Of: Behavioral and brain sciences. Volume 37:Issue 4(2014)
• Page Start: 375
• Page End: 376
• Publication Date: 2014-08-27
• Subjects: Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Brain -- Periodicals; 616.89142
• DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X13003476
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-525X

Abstract

Abstract: While primarily identifying similarities between suicide terrorists and other suicidal individuals, Lankford also notes differences in how their actions are morally evaluated. Specifically, "conventional" suicide is stigmatized in a way that suicide terrorism is not. We identify the root of this condemnation, showing that suicide is intuitively considered impure and disgusting, and discuss implications of this purity-based stigma.