The Individual and Society

The Individual and Society

Victims of kidnapping and hostage situations , during and after their ordeal , manifest strange behaviors of associating with the captors and identifying with their cause . This was first observed among the captives in the 1973 Sveriges Kreditbank of Stockholm , Sweden . They later testified in behalf of their captor in court and even raised money to finance his legal defense . In similar incidents of hostage-takings the same behaviors were observed in the hostages . This psychological and behavioral abnormality came to be known as the

Stockholm Syndrome from the place

where the bank robbery took place and when the symptoms were first observed in the hostages

There are four elements that may lead a victim to develop the Stockholm Syndrome

One , victim feels he will not survive the ordeal . Two , the captor shows a little kindness to the victim . Three , the victim does not see his situation from any other way than from his captor . Four , the victim does not see a possible escape at all

The symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome manifest in a hostage when (1 ) the victim is has no negative feelings towards his captor (2 ) his negative feelings are directed to his family and friends , as well as the authorities (3 ) he is supportive of his captor 's thinking and actions (4 ) the victim experiences kindness or consideration from the captor (5 ) the victim may help the captor , and (6 ) the victim does not try to escape

Victims of similar kidnappings and hostage situations were observed and a common pattern of the Stockholm Syndrome was identified . First captives take the side of their captors . This is explained as a defense posture . The Captor would not likely hurt a cooperative captive . The captive assumes the role of an errant child out to win the heart of an angry parent . Second , the captive is scared that rescuers might botch up the rescue and he might end up dead . Third , the longer he is held in captivity , the captive sees the human side of the captor . He sees the situation from the captor 's eyes . Worst , he accepts it as just Fourth , at the time of captivity , he may find the situation as unreal Either he is in denial or he `escapes ' in his imaginations . He may even blame the authorities for the situation he is in

Sensational kidnap victims like Patty Hearst and Elizabeth Smart were both in situations where the elements leading to Stockholm Syndrome were present . Hearst was made to believe that she would not come out of the ordeal alive . According to Patty , DeFreeze , the leader of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA ) who were her captors , kept her in a closet where no one could possibly know where she was and rescue her She was threatened death most of the time . Brian Mitchell threatened to kill Elizabeth when her sister woke up when Elizabeth was being abducted . Elizabeth must have been threatened similarly while in captivity . Captors showed their victims little acts of kindness Husband...