Stockholm Syndrome Essay

Stockholm syndrome or also known as capture-bonding is defined as a psychological phenomenon wherein hostages exhibit both empathy and sympathy and gradually develop positive feelings towards their captors. Some instances of Stockholm syndrome wherein the victims themselves defend the identity of their abductors and refuse to cooperate with the authorities. The feelings developed by the victims are considered irrational in line with the amount of danger and risk that the victims had to endure by the victims, who essentially misinterpret the lack of harm from their abductors for kindness (Mackenzie p. 4).. The name of the psychological phenomenon is rooted from Stockholm, Sweden where the Norrmalmstrong robbery occurred in 1973. The victims were held inside the vault for five days while their captors negotiate to the police. The incident turned peculiar when the victims developed emotional attachment to their captors and later on refused the assistance offered by the government. Upon the victims release during the sixth day, they refused to cooperate with the investigation and readily defended the people behind the incident (Mackenzie p. 4).
Layton (2014) mentioned that people who suffer (or acquire) Stockholm syndrome comes to identify with and eventually care for their abductors because they are in survival mode. This means that the victims are usually put to an unconscious act of self-preservation characterized by their desperation to survive. This instance is also observed in other psychologically traumatic incidents. Some of the most common relationships involving Stockholm syndrome are slave-master, battered-spouse or even members of some destructive cults. The phenomenon has braced popular culture such as being themes to some literature because of its odd nature.
References:Layton J. What Causes Stockholm Syndrom? Accessed at: http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/mental-disorders/stockholm-syndrome.htm 22-Jan-2015
Mackenzie I. "The Stockholm Syndrome Revisited: Hostages, Relationships, Prediction, Control and Psychological Science Journal of Police Crisis Negotiations. 2012