Contact Dr Emma Ylitalo-James
Background
Emma is a current PhD student at Cranfield University with her main interests in the behaviour and psychology in terrorism with decision making in high threat and time critical environments. As a psychologist, she then completed her Masters degree, with distinction, in War and Psychiatry at Kings College University, London with her thesis focusing on the theory of the suspect community and its creation through the Prevention of Terrorism Temporary Provisions Act. presenting an alternate view incorporating group dynamics and social identity theory.
Other interests lie in the effect of HPA Axis activation in high threat and time critical environments and its effect on decision making and distortion.
Outside of academia, Emma is a 13 times World Championship strength athlete specialising in bench press with a 30 year international competing track record.
Current activities
Her current PhD explores the final stages of escalation from sympathetic to active terrorism based on primary sources and the psychological, group and individual influences key to the decision making strategy. The research focuses on establishing common determinants of escalation with other psychometric scaling incorporated.