1973, Jan Erik Olsson and Clark Olofsson tried to rob a bank at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm. After their failure, they held four of the employees as hostage. After six days the two criminals gave up and the hostages were freed. While the outcome was that the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, and even defended them against the police. This paradoxical phenomenon was named as ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ by the criminologist and psychiatrist, Nils Bejerot, who was assisting the police during the robbery.
Sadism and Masochism?
The FBI’s Hostage Barricade Database System shows that around 27% of victims show evidence of Stockholm Syndrome. The sufferers usually express empathy, positive feelings and sometimes help defend their captors. These feelings are generally considered irrational. The main cause of this syndrome can be defined as the victims receive some actions of kindness from the captors during the hostage period, with the captors do not cause any direct damage to them. Finally the victims mistakenly believe that the captors are not going to hurt them so turn to help the captors.
Another explanation to this syndrome in evolutionary terms can be referred to "Capture-bonding". Azar Gat found that war and abductions were typical of human pre-history. When selection is intense and persistent, adaptive traits (such as capture-bonding) become universal to the population or species. Some activation of the capture-bonding psychological trait may lie behind battered wife syndrome, military basic training, fraternity hazing, and sex practices such as sadism/masochism or bondage/discipline.
In general, the existence of Stockholm Syndrome is a strong evidence for supporting the defense mechanism.
The FBI’s Hostage Barricade Database System shows that around 27% of victims show evidence of Stockholm Syndrome. The sufferers usually express empathy, positive feelings and sometimes help defend their captors. These feelings are generally considered irrational. The main cause of this syndrome can be defined as the victims receive some actions of kindness from the captors during the hostage period, with the captors do not cause any direct damage to them. Finally the victims mistakenly believe that the captors are not going to hurt them so turn to help the captors.
Another explanation to this syndrome in evolutionary terms can be referred to "Capture-bonding". Azar Gat found that war and abductions were typical of human pre-history. When selection is intense and persistent, adaptive traits (such as capture-bonding) become universal to the population or species. Some activation of the capture-bonding psychological trait may lie behind battered wife syndrome, military basic training, fraternity hazing, and sex practices such as sadism/masochism or bondage/discipline.
In general, the existence of Stockholm Syndrome is a strong evidence for supporting the defense mechanism.
Anthony Chan
References:
Nils, B. (1974) The six day war in Stockholm. New
Scientist, volume 61, number 886, page 486-487
"'Stockholm
Syndrome': psychiatric diagnosis or urban myth?" (in London, UK.). Department
of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Hampstead Campus (Royal Free and
University College Medical School). 2007 November 19
deFabrique,
Nathalie; Romano, Stephen J.; Vecchi, Gregory M.; van Hasselt, Vincent B. (July
2007). "Understanding Stockholm Syndrome".FBI Law Enforcement
Bulletin (Law Enforcement Communication Unit) 76 (7): 10–15
G. Dwayne Fuselier, “Placing the
Stockholm Syndrome in Perspective,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 1999,
22-25
Traumatic entrapment, appeasement and
complex post-traumatic stress disorder: evolutionary perspectives of hostage
reactions, domestic abuse and the Stockholm Syndrome.
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