Neil Shortland is the Director, Center for Terrorism and Security Studies and an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies at UMass Lowell.

Neil Shortland III, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Terrorism and Security Studies, Associate Professor

College
College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
School of Criminology and Justice Studies
Phone
978-934-4045
Office
Health and Social Sciences Building - 431
Email
Neil_Shortland@uml.edu
Links

Expertise

Terrorism, Security, malevolent creativity & innovation, decision-making.

Research Interests

Decision Making; Military Psychology; Experimental Psychology; Media and Violence; Risk Assessment and Violent Behavior.

My research focuses on the psychological aspects of domestic and international security. My research portfolio includes funded projects on military decision making (cognitive and neuroscience psychology), the interaction of aggressive cognitions and extremist propaganda (cognitive psychology) and grass-roots programs aimed at counter violent extremism and building societal resistance (developmental and social psychology).

Education

  • Ph D: Cognitive Psychology , (2017), University of Liverpool - Liverpool, U.K.
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: Conflict: Sacred Values, Decision Inertia and the Psychology of Choice in Military Operations
  • MS: Investigative and Forensic Psychology , (2011), University of Liverpool - Liverpool, U.K.
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: Indecent Images of Children and Contact Sexual Abuse: A Continuum of Risk for ‘Criminogenic’ and ‘Conservative’ Contact and Non-Contact Offenders in an Indecent Image Offender Sample
  • BA: Psychology , (2010), University of Bristol - Bristol, U.K.
    Supporting Area: Experimental Psychology
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: The lateralisation of shadow perception: A test of the shadow suppression hypothesis.

Biosketch

Neil Shortland received a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Bristol (first class honors); a master’s degree in forensic and investigative psychology from the University of Liverpool (distinction) and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from the Center for Critical and Major Incident Psychology at the University of Liverpool (APA Ph.D. Research Award, 2017).

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Ph.D. Research Award (2017), Scholarship/Research - American Psychological Association (Division 19: Military Psychology)
  • Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching Nominee (2016)

Selected Publications

  • Palasinski, M., Brown, W., Shortland, N., Riggs, D., Bowman-Grieve, L., Chen, C. (2019). Masculinity, Injury and Death – Implications for Anti-knifecarrying Messages. Psychology of Violence
  • Shortland, N., Sari, H., Palasinski, M., Nader, E., Hilland, C. (2019). Murder on Maneuver: Exploring Green-On-Blue Attacks in Afghanistan. Armed Forces and Society.
  • Bowman, L., Palasinski, M., Shortland, N., Humann, M., Grove, L.B. (2018). Exploring Anxiety About Digital Security and Terrorism and Support for High-Tech Counter Terror Measures. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
  • Shortland, N., Gill, P., Palasinski, M. (). Future Fanatic or Facebook Fantasist? Pragmatic Considerations for the Online Risk Assessment of Potential Terrorist Offenders. Computers in Human Behavior
  • Shortland, N., Waring, S., Alison, L., Humann, M. (). Information Exchange and Decision Inertia in Extreme Environments: Case Study of a Complex Counter-Terrorism Operation. Journal of Organizational Behavior
  • Shortland, N., Alison, L., Palasinski, M. (2018). Strategic indecision: Analyzing Foreign Policy Narratives Regarding Military Intervention in Syria. Security Studies
  • Shortland, N., Alison, L. (2018). The Military (In)Decision Making Process: A Framework to Investigate Decision Inertia in Military Operations. Military Psychology
  • Horgan, J., Shortland, N., Walsch, S., Abbascianno, S. (2018). Towards a Typology of Terrorism Involvement: A Behavioral Differentiation of Violent Extremist Offenders. Journal of Threat Assessment and Management
  • Shortland, N., Dunne, J. (). Al-Qa’Ida and the Horcruzes: Similarities Between Violent Extremists Organizations and Lord Voldemort. Routledge
  • Alison, L., Palasinski, M., Waring, S., Humphrey, A., Humann, M., Shortland, N., Bowman Grieve, L. (2017). Between a Rock and a Hard Place of Geopolitically Sensitive Threats–Critical Incidents and Decision Inertia. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 1–18.
  • Palasinski, M., Shortland, N., Palasinski, M. (2017). Factors Behind Support for Harsher Punishments for Common and Uncommon Offenders. Safer Communities, 16(2) 55–63.
  • Hunter, S.T., Shortland, N., Crayne, M.P., Ligon, G.S. (2017). Recruitment and Selection in Violent Extremist Organizations: Exploring What Industrial and Organizational Psychology Might Contribute. American Psychologist, 72(3) 242.
  • Altier, M.B., Leonard Boyle, E., Shortland, N., Horgan, J. (2017). Why They Leave: An Analysis of Terrorist Disengagement Events from Eighty-seven Autobiographical Accounts. Security Studies, 26(2) 305–332.
  • Shortland, N. (2016). A Pragmatic Approach to the Online Risk Assessment of Violent Extremists. IGI Global
  • Palasinski, M., Shortland, N. (2016). Exploring Factors Behind Support for Harsher Punishments for Common and Uncommon Serious Offenders (16:2 pp. 55-63). Safer Communities
  • Palasinski, M., Shortland, N. (2016). Individual Determinants of Punitive Attitudes Towards Sexual and Domestic Abuse Offenders. Safer Communities, 15(3) 125-133.
  • Shortland, N., Palasinski, M. (2016). Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Which Is the Most Convincing of Them All? Exploring Anti-Domestic Violence Posters. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
  • Shortland, N., Horgan, J. (2015). Case Studies of Selected Al-Qa’Ida Members. Office of University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  • Shortland, N., Alison, L.J., Moran, J. (2015). Conflict: How Soldiers Make Impossible Decisions. Oxford University Press
  • Shortland, N., Palasinski, M., Humann, M., Waring, S., Alison, L. (2015). Decision Inertia and Failures to Act in Choosing Between ‘Least-Worst’ Options. Terrorism and Political Violence
  • Shortland, N., Horgan, J. (2015). Developing a Typology of Terrorism Involvement as a Basis to Planning for Sentencing, Management, Risk Reduction, Release and Monitoring of Terrorist Offenders. Office of University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Shortland, N., Alison, L. (2015). War Stories: A Narrative Approach to Understanding Military Decisions. The Military Psychologist, 30(2) 7-12.
  • Shortland, N., Hilland, C. (2014). Anticipating Insider Attacks: Civilian Casualties as a Motivator and Predictor of Insider Attacks in Afghanistan. Final customer report, Porton, Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down
  • Shortland, N., Bohannon, J. (2014). Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan. Science, 345(6198) 723–724.
  • Fijwala, S., Palasinski, M., Shortland, N. (2014). The Basic Determinants of Perceived Increase in Violent, Sexual and Benefit Fraud Crimes. Safer Communities, 13(4) 180–188.
  • Shortland, N., Horgan, J. (2014). Typology of Job Tasks Within Terrorist Organizations. Office of University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Shortland, N., Knight, S., Homer, K. (2012). Malevolent Creativity and Innovation in terrorist organizations. DSTL/CR61803. Final customer report, Porton, Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down
  • Shortland, N., Spanner, L., Homer, K. (2012). The Utility of Social Media in Emergency Management. Dstl/cr91854. Final customer report, Porton, Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down.
  • Shortland, N., Spanner, L., Homer, K. (2012). Using Social Media in Emergencies: Smart Tips for Category 1 Responders Using Social Media in Emergency Management. Final customer report. Porton, Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down
  • Shortland, N., Dhesi, J., James, A. (2011). Cyber and Influence Research Strategy Development: A Rapid Evidence Assessment. Dstl Internal Report. Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down.
  • Shortland, N., Butcher, F., Gore, A., Maxwell, I. (2011). Scoping Study to Further Understand the Collection of ‘Pattern of Life’ Information for C-IED Operators. Dstl/cr60093. Final customer report, Porton, Wiltshire: Dstl Porton Down

Selected Presentations

  • Conflict: The Psychology of Choice in Military Operations - American Psychological Association Annual Meeting, August 2017 - Washington, D.C
  • Anger and Exposure to Extremist Propaganda as a Predictor of Aggression - American Society for Criminology Annual Meeting, November 2016 - New Orleans
  • Typologies of Terrorist Involvement: A Basis to Planning Sentencing, Management, Risk Reduction, Release and Monitoring of Terrorist Offenders - START Annual Meeting, October 2016 - Washington, D.C
  • Strategic Indecision: Foreign Policy Decision Making in Syria and Iraq - ISSS-ISAC Joint Annual Conference, October 2015 - Springfield MA
  • Contemporary Terrorism: Individuals, Indicators and Intervention - Home Team Behavioral Sciences Centre (HTBSC), Ministry of Home Affairs, February 2015 - Singapore
  • Disengagement: Pathways, Processes and Roles - Home Team Behavioral Sciences Centre (HTBSC), Ministry of Home Affairs, February 2015 - Singapore
  • Typologies of Terrorist Involvement: Furthering our Knowledge of “Involved in Terrorism - Roundtable panel at the American Society for Criminology Annual Meeting, November 2014 - San Francisco
  • Typologies of Terrorist Involvement: A Basis to Planning Sentencing, Management, Risk Reduction, Release and Monitoring of Terrorist Offenders - American Society for Criminology Annual Meeting, November 2014 - San Francisco
  • Murder on Maneuver: A Quantitative Analysis of Green-On-Blue Fratricide Murders in Afghanistan - Society for Terrorism Research 8th Annual Conference, September 2014 - Boston, MA
  • Murder on Maneuver: A Quantitative Analysis of Green-On-Blue Fratricide Murders in Afghanistan - United Kingdom Government Workshop on Green-on-Blue Attacks, March 2014 - Portsdown West, Portsmouth
  • Defense and Science Technology Laboratory: Malevolent Creativity and Innovation workshop - Invited Subject Matter Expert, March 2013 - Portsdown West, Portsmouth
  • International Center for the Study of Terrorism - Strategic Research Brief on Mobilization, Typologies of terrorism and disengagement - UK Cabinet Office PREVENT Team, December 2012 - London

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

  • Co-PI (2017), Grant - U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
    Shortland, N.
  • Co-PI (2016), - Office of the Vice Provost for Research at UMass Lowell
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2017), - EdVenture Programs Facebook and the United States Department of State
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2016), - Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society, Research Fellowship,
    Shortland, N.
  • Military Psychology Division Student Research (2016), - American Psychological Association
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2016), - EdVenture Programs, Facebook and the United States Department of State
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2015), Grant - Qualtrics Behavioral Research Grant
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2016), - EdVenture Programs, Facebook and the United States Department of State
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2015), - Office of the Vice Provost for Research at UMass Lowell
    Shortland, N.
  • Co-PI (2014), - Office of the Vice Provost for Research at UMass Lowell
    Shortland, N.
  • PI (2013), - United Kingdom Ministry of Defense
    Shortland, N.