English for Students

English Phrases : Stockholm Syndrome

What is the meaning of Stockholm Syndrome?

This expression appeared several times in newspapers during the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane in December. Do you watch a lot of movies? Think of movies where a person is taken hostage by an individual or a group of individuals. Initially, the reaction of the hostage towards his/her captors is usually very negative. He/she tries his/her best to escape. But as the individual spends more and more time with the captors, he/she begins to understand them and sometimes even begins to develop a sense of affection towards them. Sometimes he/she even allies with the captors rather than the police or the army, which is trying to rescue them. This feeling of trust and affection that a hostage develops towards his captors is called Stockholm Syndrome. This was first noted in the case of the people who were taken hostage during a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden in 1973.




COURTESY : The Hindu (The National News-Paper) - India