Neuroscientific Evidence in the Strategic Exploit of the Disabled as a Fighter in the Islamic State

In this paper we aim to address, through an innovative neuroscientific view, a significant recruitment strategy implemented by ISIS targeting individuals with disabilities. The use of strategies that reinforce empathy and the encouragement of the belief that one is capable of achieving a given goal, are strategically effective messages in terms of recruitment. Self-efficacy, which is the set of beliefs the individual holds about his or her own abilities, is another tool used to effectively recruit someone with a disability. The use of media messages also reinforces the “know how” and the feeling of “being”, that is, recognizing oneself in rewarding values. In analyzing the Entertainment-Education method, we identified some elements of persuasive storytelling that even in people with disabilities has led to success in terms of recruitment. An innovative multidisciplinary contrast activity with the contribution of neuroscience may therefore be effective in identifying behaviors and recruitment strategies that are effective with people with disabilities.

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