Scholars have studied extensively the Holocaust and other mass killings but they still could not fully understand what leads one group of people to kill another. In its quest for deeper understanding on this aspect of human psychology, a Massachusetts university has announced a new doctoral program on genocide psychology. The Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, has labeled the newly launched Psychology of Genocide program as the first of its kind in the world, adding that it aims to provide the much-discussed issues of genocide a solid psychological foundation. "Our graduate students became increasingly interested in questions about the psychology of genocide, like 'what's up with these perpetrators? What's with their psychology?'" program director Deborah Dwork told the Associated Press. Organizations devoted to preventing genocide believed the program could be useful. For one, a deeper understanding of how potential terrorists think and profiling them could help the government prepare for and stop looming genocidal attacks, the news provider said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for psychologists are expected to grow by 14% through 2018, but varies depending on specialty. For instance, school psychologists will have 11% growth while the need for industrial-organizational psychologists will rise by 26% within the next decade, the bureau added.  |