Beginning to believe in the cause of the hostage takers is typically referred to as:

• A. Sydney Syndrome
• B. Sheffield Syndrome
• C. Stavropol Syndrome
• D. Stockholm Syndrome

Answer: (D)

When someone in a hostage situation starts to align with or adopt the captors’ cause, that pattern is described as Stockholm Syndrome. The victim’s shifting feelings—empathy, loyalty, and even defense of the captors—emerge as a way to cope with extreme fear, dependence on the captors for safety, and isolation from the outside world. Over time, psychological mechanisms like cognitive dissonance reduction and bonding under threat can make the captors’ perspectives feel more plausible or comforting. The term comes from a 1973 bank siege in Stockholm, Sweden, where hostages reportedly defended their captors after the crisis. It’s a widely discussed concept in media and psychology, though it’s not a formal disorder, and the other labeled syndromes listed aren’t recognized terms for this phenomenon.