Group conditions and the perpetrators of evil: Colombian armed groups

• Mirón, Lourdes ^[1] ; Blanco, Amalio ^[2] ; Davies-Rubio, Amanda ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

     Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

     Santiago de Compostela, España

     
  2. [2] Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

     Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

     Madrid, España

     
• Localización: Universitas psychologica, ISSN 1657-9267, Vol. 22, Nº. 1, 2023
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.11144/Javeriana.upsy22.gcpe
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Las condiciones grupales de la violencia extrema: el caso de los grupos armados en Colombia
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Las acciones caracterizadas por una violencia extrema perpetrada por grupos armados ahondan sus raíces en mecanismos y procesos psicosociales: estructura de poder, roles y tareas asignadas a sus miembros, normas y sanciones, indoctrinación ideológica, etc. Estos componentes de la estructura del grupo fueron estudiados en 18 personas (14 hombres y 6 mujeres) desmovilizados que habían formado parte de las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) y de organizaciones guerrilleras (FARC y ELN, entre otras), que participaron en asesinatos, torturas, masacres, etc. contra la población y contra miembros de grupos enemigos. En el estudio se utilizó una metodología cualitativa a través de entrevistas en profundidad y análisis de contenido. Los resultados del estudio muestran que las acciones llevadas a cabo durante su militancia en estos grupos respondieron de manera primordial a las condiciones estructurales del grupo armado. El cumplimiento de las normas, la realización de las tareas encomendadas y la obediencia a las órdenes de la autoridad fueron las principales razones de la violencia extrema que ha caracterizado las acciones de estas personas.

  • English

    Violent extremism of groups in armed conflicts is commonly affected by multiple psychological mechanisms and processes: leadership structure, tasks entrusted to each of its members, norms and sanctions, ideological indoctrination, etc. The presence of these components in extremely violent actions in the Colombian conflict was analyzed. All 18 participants (14 males and 4 females) were demobilized members of the Self-defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC) and guerrilla organizations (FARC, ELN, among others) which had participated directly or indirectly in violent actions against people and groups (which include murder, torture, and massacres). A qualitative methodology was used, specifically in-depth interviews and content analysis. This analysis showed that Colombian armed groups are made up of people with different psychological characteristics and social backgrounds (age, sex, place of residence, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, etc.), but their integration into the armed conflict and the violent actions they carried out respond to specific conditions and structure of the group they belong to rather than to personal factors. The components of the group structure, rule compliance, entrusted task performance and obedience to the orders of authority are the main reasons for the violent extremism that has characterized the activities of these people.

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