History UsefulNotes / StockholmSyndrome

%%->'''Malcolm:''' Don't you know about Stockholm Syndrome? You're starting to identify with your captors.\\
%%'''Reese:''' My captors?! These guys saved my life, man!\\
%%'''Malcolm:''' Only because they decided not to kill you!\\
%%'''Reese:''' Same thing.
%%-->-- ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', "Reese's Party"

The term was initially coined to refer to hostages and captors in a HostageSituation. Over time, with concept creep, it has come to be applied to virtually ''any'' situation, most popularly [[DomesticAbuse abusive marriages or relationships]]. As initially coined, the term was closely linked to {{brainwashing}}. Over time, the explanation has shifted toward it being a natural, protective response, rooted in our species' long evolutionary history of dominance hierarchies.

->''Within the context of the formula story [of kidnapping], their actions are counterintuitive. They do not make sense. The disruption challenges taken-for-granted assumptions about how individuals ''should'' feel and behave, the relationships they ''should'' share with one another, and how events ''should'' unfold. "Normal" victims respond as the formula story dictates. Only "disturbed" victims respond in the paradoxical ways that the Stockholm syndrome label describes. In other words, any response other than the response that meets the normative expectations of the formula story is treated as a manifestation of the psychopathological condition, not as an act of agency on the captives' part.''
-->-- 2012 paper from ''The Sociological Quarterly'', [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/41679728 "Stockholm Syndrome As Vernacular Resource"]]

->''The Stockholm syndrome label was constructed not to describe a carefully studied or researched phenomenon but to characterize a specific incidence--the seemingly inexplicable behavior of the released hostages in the botched Kreditbanken robbery. The term appeared first not in the pages of a scientific journal but in the context of a television interview.''
-->-- 2012 paper from ''The Sociological Quarterly'', [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/41679728 "Stockholm Syndrome As Vernacular Resource"]]

-->-- Intro to 2008 paper [[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5819575 'Stockholm syndrome': Psychiatric diagnosis or urban myth?]]

The term was initially coined to refer to hostages and captors in a HostageSituation. Over time, with concept creep, it has come to be applied to virtually any situation, most popularly [[DomesticAbuse abusive marriages or relationships]].

Stockholm syndrome is named after the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norrmalmstorg_robbery Norrmalmstorg robbery]], a 6-day long HostageSituation in 1973 at the Kreditbanken bank in Norrmalmstorg Square, Stockholm. Jan-Erik "Janne" Olsson (a dude on release from prison) took 4 bank employees captive (Birgitta Lundblad, Elisabeth Oldgren, Kristin Enmark, and Sven Säfström). The captives came to trust their captors more than the police. At the end of the standoff, when they parted ways, the convicts and hostages embraced and ([[ForeignFarewell in a European way]]) kissed goodbye.

Stockholm syndrome is named after the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norrmalmstorg_robbery Norrmalmstorg robbery]], a 6-day long HostageSituation in Norrmalmstorg Square in Stockholm in 1973. Jan-Erik "Janne" Olsson (a dude on release from prison) took 4 bank employees captive (Birgitta Lundblad, Elisabeth Oldgren, Kristin Enmark, and Sven Säfström). The captives came to trust their captors more than the police. At the end of the standoff, when they parted ways, the convicts and hostages embraced and ([[ForeignFarewell in a European way]]) kissed goodbye.

* AMatchMadeInStockholm

Given its shaky origins and lack of clinical recognition, Stockholm Syndrome is part of the field of pop-culture, not the field of psychology.

In fiction, the idea of a captive falling in love with their captor is a popular one, and has been since long before the 1973 Norrmalmstorg robbery. Many of these stories feel forced, starting with captivity and jumping straight to love. The most realistic depictions of Stockholm Syndrome in this manner of the story include not only the kindnesses, but also the extended time needed, and clear isolation from outside influences.

->'''Malcolm:''' Don't you know about Stockholm Syndrome? You're starting to identify with your captors.\\
'''Reese:''' My captors?! These guys saved my life, man!\\
'''Malcolm:''' Only because they decided not to kill you!\\
'''Reese:''' Same thing.
-->-- ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', "Reese's Party"

In fiction, the idea of a captive falling in love with their captor is a popular one, and has been since long before the 1973 Norrmalmstorg robbery. For example, it's a DiscussedTrope in ''Literature/AdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn'' (1884). Many of these stories feel forced, starting with captivity and jumping straight to love. The most realistic depictions of Stockholm Syndrome in this manner of the story include not only the kindnesses, but also the extended time needed, and clear isolation from outside influences.

The concept has never has wide-scale clinical acceptance and never appearing in the DSM or any international classification system of psychiatry.

The concept has never has wide-scale clinical acceptance and never appearing in the DSM.

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome Stockholm syndrome]] is a a proposed condition in which kidnapped victims develop loyalty, sympathy, or affection (sometimes even sexual attraction) for a captor. In one way, it could be seen as a valid survival strategy wherein victims foster an emotional bond with their captor to reduce the risk of being harmed by them or others.

In fiction and media, the idea of a captive falling in love with their captor is a popular one. Many of these stories feel forced, starting with captivity and jumping straight to love. The most realistic depictions of Stockholm Syndrome in this manner of the story include not only the kindnesses, but also the extended time needed, and clear isolation from outside influences.

If left untreated in Comedy, may result in [[PityTheKidnapper the captor shivering in the corner, mumbling "Take it away! Take it away!"]] If the person incorrectly ''believes'' that they're in a sexually abusive situation, or is still adjusting to being out of one, they may ask ArentYouGoingToRavishMe.

->'''Malcolm:''' Don't you know about Stockholm Syndrome? You're starting to identify with your captors.\\
'''Reese:''' My captors?! These guys saved my life, man!\\
'''Malcolm:''' Only because they decided not to kill you!\\
'''Reese:''' Same thing.
-->-- ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', "Reese's Party"

Because Sweden's usually pretty peaceful, the police weren't trained in hostage negations. In exchange for the captive's release, Olsson demanded a bunch of money, the release of his prison buddy Clark Olofsson, and a getaway car. Olofsson was delved; the getaway car was not. Olsson and Olofsson wanted to leave in a getaway car ''with the hostages'' to ensure there was no CarChaseShootOut, with the promise they'd release the hostages later once they were a ways away. The hostages trusted them and were on board with this plan. The police refused. In rejecting this peaceful release plan, the police basically ensured this ''had'' to end in some dangerous storming-the-building thing -- an escalation where the captives might get killed.

There's a [[https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/6270898 recorded phone call]] between Enmark and Sweden's at-the-time prime minister Olaf Palme where she says, "What I'm scared of is that the police will attack and cause us to die." Palme says they can't comply with the demands of criminals and that, "You will have to content yourself that you will have died at your post." She is appalled.

Nils Bejerot, psychiatrist consultant to the Stockholm police, never met with the captives himself, but publicly declared that they had "Norrmalmstorg Syndrome" (later "Stockholm Syndrome") -- a condition he had just made up.

The concept was coined in part to deflect blame from the police. The captives responded as they did because they were ''brainwashed'', they had a ''syndrome''. Not because they had understandable or legitimate criticisms about how the police handled the situation -- no, definitely not ''that''.

Where a villain intentionally attempts to induce Stockholm Syndrome, it is most likely one of the subtropes such as MoreThanMindControl. If played for fanservice, it becomes RomanticizedAbuse.

The reverse situation, LimaSyndrome, is considerably rarer, but definitely exists. In any story featuring TheSvengali, expect at least one of the two to make a showing.

If left untreated in Comedy, may result in [[PityTheKidnapper the captor shivering in the corner, mumbling "Take it away! Take it away!"]]

See also: BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil, BlankSlate, ConditionedToAcceptHorror, MoreThanMindControl, RousseauWasRight, NurtureOverNature, ThenLetMeBeEvil and NotUsedToFreedom. If the person incorrectly ''believes'' that they're in a sexually abusive situation, or is still adjusting to being out of one, they may ask ArentYouGoingToRavishMe.

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome Stockholm syndrome]] is a phenomenon in which kidnapped victims can develop loyalty, sympathy, or affection (sometimes even sexual attraction) for a captor. In one way, it could be seen as a valid survival strategy wherein victims foster an emotional bond with their captor to reduce the risk of being harmed by them or others.

This can develop in kidnapping victims, political prisoners, and prisoners of war; or hostage situations when there is a long standoff with police (like the ever-popular bank robbery situation). It can also happen in [[DomesticAbuse abusive]] [[MaritalRapeLicense marriages or relationships]], and has even been known to happen in prisons between prisoners and wardens.

The term was initially coined to refer to hostages in a HostageSituation. Over time, with concept creep, it has come to be applied to virtually any situation.

[[/index]]
* NotUsedToFreedom

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/StockholmSyndrome'', a game made by Creator/AntonyKos.

Put most simply, Stockholm Syndrome is an allegation Bob levels against Alice when Alice has sympathy, loyalty, or attachment to someone that Bob thinks she ought not feel that for.

The concept has never has widescale clinical acceptance and never appearing in the DSM.

!! History
Stockholm Syndrome is named after the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norrmalmstorg_robbery Norrmalmstorg robbery]], a 6-day long HostageSituation in Norrmalmstorg Square in Stockholm in 1973. Jan-Erik "Janne" Olsson (a dude on release from prison) took 4 bank employees captive (Birgitta Lundblad, Elisabeth Oldgren, Kristin Enmark, and Sven Säfström). The captives came to trust their captors more than the police. At the end of the standoff, when they parted ways, the convicts and hostages embraced and ([[ForeignFarewell in a European way]]) kissed goodbye.

%% Hostages not cooperating with police is certainly ''inconvenient for the police''.

Put most simply, Stockholm Syndrome is an allegation Bob levels against Alice whenever Alice has sympathy, loyalty, or attachment to someone that Bob thinks she ought not feel that for.

The term initially refer to hostages in a HostageSituation. Over time, with concept creep, it has come to be applied to virtually any and all situations.

The concept has never has widescale clinical acceptance, and never appearing in the DSM.

%% Hostages not cooperating with police is certainly ''inconvenient for the police''.

The concept was coined in part to deflect blame from the police. The captives responded as they did because they were ''brainwashed'', they had a ''syndrome''. Not because they had understandable or legitimate criticisms about how the police handled the situation -- no, definitely not ''that''.

The term initially refer to hostages in a HostageSituation. Over time with concept creep it has come to be applied to virtually any and all situations.

The concept was coined in part to deflect blame from the police. The captives responded as they did because they were ''brainwashed'', they had a ''syndrome'' -- not because they had understandable or legitimate criticisms about how the police handled the situation, no, definitely not ''that''.

Because Sweden's usually pretty peaceful, the police weren't trained in hostage negations. In exchange for the captive's release, Olsson demanded a bunch of money, the release of his prison buddy Clark Olofsson, and a getaway car. Olofsson was delved; the getaway car was not. Olsson and Olofsson wanted to leave in a getaway car ''with the hostages'' to ensure a safe getaway, with the promise they'd release the hostages later once they were away from the swarm of police. The hostages trusted them and were on board with this plan. The police refused. In rejecting this peaceful release plan, the police basically ensured this ''had'' to end in some dangerous storming-the-building thing -- an escalation where the captives might get killed.

The term "Norrmalmstorg Syndrome" (later "Stockholm Syndrome") was coined by Nils Bejerot, psychiatrist consultant to the Stockholm police. Bejerot never met with the captives himself, but publicly declared that they had Norrmalmstorg Syndrome -- a condition he had just made up.

The concept was created in part to deflect blame from the police. The captives responded as they did because they were ''brainwashed'', they had a ''syndrome'' -- not because they had understandable or legitimate criticisms about how the police handled the situation, no, definitely not ''that''.