SELF-CONCEPT AS A FACTOR

"Lack of significant extra-familial primary relationships (lack of close friendship ties, occupational instability, and either strained or no relationships with the opposite sex) is a function, in part, of the absence of "normal" intra-familial relationship in early childhood, due to the death of a parent and/or to occupying an extreme ordinal position. . . .The relationship between these and the resulting presidential assassination. . . is tied to the self-concept of the assassin" (115).

Wilkinson, Doris Y., and Jerry Gaines. "The Status Characteristics and Primary Group Relationships of Seven Political Assassins in America." Social Structure and Assassination. Doris Wilkerson, ed. Cambridge, MA: Schenkman Publishing, 1976. 108-119.

• The drive for "unity of the self" within autonomous choice-making individuals is fulfilled as the actual self approaches the ideal self [as the individual plans and completes a series of steps leading to goal fulfillment.]
  
  
• Presidential assassins, for various reasons, never integrate as individuals. They lack role models and their status aspirations are unrealistic. But most of all, their identities are never clearly formed. They are unsure of the actual self; thus the ideal self is unrealistic and unattainable.

• Because "interaction with significant others" is stressed in the definition of self concept [how else do you know yourself?], "unity of self" does not take place among presidential assassins, who spend their lives as loners.

• It may be hypothesized that the assassin, either from lack of development of significant primary group relationships or frustration with self-actualization via others, becomes increasingly concerned with realization of the ideal self.

• The assassin’s span of attention ultimately becomes fixated upon the broader culture. The ideal self is basically derived by reference to the broader society or subculture, which legitimizes personal ideals.

• It is at this time that political and social inconsistencies become radically clear for the potential assassin's subjective reality--he or she broods on the unfairness of life, which can easily be blamed on the existing social order, personified by the a well adjusted, charismatic political leader.

• The potential assassin’s perceptions may be distorted on relatively trivial issues (like Schrank’s) or fairly comprehensive and well stated (like Oswald’s).

• Actualization of political ideals through assassination is likely to be triggered by important issues of the time.

• Not being able to realize self-concept through primary interaction, the potential assassin’s drive for unity and integration amplifies the social inconsistencies he or she feels, focusing on the assassin’s skewed view of the issue.

• Owing to a long history of frustration, an intense drive may develop to realize [unify] the self by relating to the broader society through an assassination which is perceived to be in accordance with his or her political ideals.

• Overconcern with political ideals is a rationalization for self-actualization through assassination.

• Through this means, the individual concretely and significantly relates to society and to history in a way he or she never could through significant relationships.

Wilkinson, Doris Y., and Jerry Gaines. "The Status Characteristics and Primary Group Relationships of Seven Political Assassins in America." Social Structure and Assassination. Doris Wilkerson, ed. Cambridge, MA: Schenkman Publishing, 1976. 108-119.

Greening, Thomas. "Psychological Study of Assassins." Assassinations and the Political Order. William Crotty. ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. 143-160.

However horrible his deed, however pathological his interpretation of events, the assassin is a man who has politicized his private miseries. He has attempted to become part of a social institution that promises him freedom from his overwhelming self-loathing.

Freedman, Lawrence Z. "Psychopathology of Assassination." Assassination and the Political Order . William Crotty. ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. 148.

GO ON

TO CULTURAL FACTORS