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A U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)
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Understanding Malevolent Creativity in Terrorist Attacks

  1. UNO
  2. National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)
  3. Our Research
  4. Understanding Malevolent Creativity in Terrorist Attacks

Tactics, Techniques and Procedures

Could you change a terrorist’s mind? Interrupt an attack in the making?

This project, a collaboration of researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Penn State University, aims to see if counterterrorism workers could disrupt malevolent creativity involved in planning and carrying out terrorist attacks.


Objective/Purpose

This project applies the concepts of malevolent creativity and design fixation to counterterrorism efforts. There are two main objectives. First, the team aims to develop interventions to direct bad actors toward actions that DHS is prepared to counter. Second, the team will develop and deploy training on creative thinking and creative problem solving to help improve the capability of the DHS workforce to anticipate, detect, and deter novel attacks.

Methodology

This project will use controlled experiments to design and test new interventions to induce fixation and limit the creativity of new ideas. The team will also conduct a training needs assessment (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys) to inform the development of half-day training sessions.


Investigators

Samuel Hunter, Professor of Psychology (University of Nebraska at Omaha)

Scarlett Miller, Affiliate Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology (Penn State University)

Contact Us

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  • 6708 Pine Street Omaha, NE 68182

  • Media Inquiries—Erin Grace: egrace@unomaha.edu
  • 402.210.3229

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  • Meet Our Team

National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)

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