The Minds, Lives, and Motivations of Mass Attackers

This CE Event is offered in cooperation with 30 SPTAs!

3.0 CE Hours

Monday, January 27, 2023. 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Live Via Zoom

Email links for this Zoom meeting will be sent by the Pennsylvania State Psychological Association

Course Overview:

This webinar starts with a review of the justifications cited by perpetrators of mass attacks, as well as a consideration of underlying psychological dynamics. Next, three psychological types of mass attackers will be presented to demonstrate the intersection of their internal dynamics and life experiences. Following this, four additional cases will be reviewed to highlight the variability in functioning among perpetrators and the need to look behind superficial accomplishments to detect risk factors for violence.

1. Preliminary material

a. “Who they are and what happens to them”
b. Underestimating psychopathology in mass attackers
c. Power dynamics and identity issues
d. Three categories of justifications used by mass attackers
e. Challenge of identifying potential attackers: case example

2. Case examples to illustrate three psychological types of mass attackers

a. Psychopathic attacker
b. Psychotic attacker
c. Traumatized attacker

3. Additional cases to illustrate diversity of functioning and presentation among attackers

a. Case example: failing in personal and professional domains
b. Failing in personal domain, apparently succeeding in professional domain
c. Apparently succeeding in personal domain, failing in professional domain
d. Apparently succeeding in personal and professional domains

4. Summary/conclusions

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify three psychological categories of mass attackers.
2. Explain the role of identity issues and aspirations in mass attackers.
3. Discuss the intersection of psychological dynamics and life experiences as risk factors for violence.

Presenter:

Dr. Peter Langman

Dr. Peter Langman is a psychologist whose research on school shooters has received international recognition. His book, Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters, was named an Outstanding Academic Title and was translated into German, Dutch, Finnish, and Russian. His work has been cited in congressional testimony on Capitol Hill and he has been interviewed by the New York Times, The Today Show, 20/20, Nightline, Fox, CNN, the BBC, and nearly 500 other news outlets in the USA, Canada, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. After the Sandy Hook attack, the CEO of the American Psychological Association presented Dr. Langman’s recommendations on school safety to President Obama. He has presented at both the FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, and the FBI National Academy in Quantico. He has been an invited speaker at the National Counterterrorism Center and was hired by Homeland Security to train professionals in school safety. He maintains the largest online collection of materials relating to school shooters at www.schoolshooters.info, including over 500 documents totaling 65,000 pages. His book, School Shooters: Understanding High School, College, and Adult Perpetrators was published in 2015. In 2018, Dr. Langman became a researcher with the National Threat Assessment Center of the United States Secret Service. In 2020, he became the Director of Research and School Safety Training with Drift Net Securities. His new book is Warning Signs: Identifying School Shooters Before They Strike

Workshop Location:

Live, virtual webinar via Zoom webinar.

REGISTRATION:

Registration: FIRM DEADLINE TO REGISTER: January 22, 2023
Register on the UPA website: www.utpsych.org