BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE APPLICATIONS LLC
Behavioral Risk Management Advisors

As the threat landscape is constantly evolving there are several emerging vectors that should be on the minds of every threat assessment and violence prevention professional. Political violence and civil unrest are on the rise in the run up to consequential mid-term elections, anti-technology violent extremism is ticking up, as is "fast food terrorism" involving younger perpetrators accelerating  across the radicalization pathway at an ever increasing pace. The speed of contemporary radicalization and the decentralized nature of modern movements require a deeper grasp of behavioral dynamics. 

​

The Summer 2026 Homeland Security Human Factors Institute is designed for busy professionals to help bridge the gap between the behavioral sciences and operational security. This 4-session advanced professional development program provides threat assessment professionals, corporate security leaders, and emergency managers with the strategic and tactical advantages needed to get ahead of the curve. The summer schedule allows Behavioral Science Applications to offer our latest training programs in a condensed 4-week series format.

​

Participants can join the live instructor-led online classes each Wednesday from July 7 through July 29 at 1:00 PM (ET), or view the recorded programs at their convenience. Attendance to the live classes is not required for the program certificate. 

 

Summer 2026 Schedule

 

July 8 | AI & Targeted Violence Risk

Several high-profile targeted violence cases have demonstrated how AI can influence and even assist a threat actor in planning and executing an attack. The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into daily life has fundamentally altered the threat landscape, and can accelerate the progression towards violence, as well as fuel grievances and violent ideations in ways that traditional behavioral threat assessment models are not fully equipped to capture. As individuals increasingly form deep, and possibly pathological relationships with generative AI or mobilize around emerging anti-AI ideologies, threat assessment professionals face a critical visibility gap. Traditional assessment approaches often overlook the nuanced ways AI can move a threat actor onto and along the pathway to violence, leaving security and threat assessment teams vulnerable to blind spots in workplace violence and targeted attack prevention. Stay ahead of the rapidly evolving AI-enabled threat landscape with this important session!​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​July 15 | The Rise of Anti-Technology Violent Extremism

​

Federal law enforcement agencies are increasingly tracking what they describe as "anti-tech violent extremism," with concerns over AI-driven job losses and the impact of large tech projects on communities and the environment. A New York Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau report warned of widespread upheaval in response to AI adoption. Their report stated that, "The chaotic atmosphere that may result from emergent AI technology in the next five years may fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity, especially in large urban areas such as New York City," 

 

Attacks this spring at the homes of OpenAI's CEO and a Midwestern city councilor are important examples of how kinetic violence is becoming a tactica for the organized resistance to AI and advanced technologies. Businesses and their executives are increasingly finding themselves caught in the crosshairs of anti-tech ideological violence. Staying on top of this evolving threat will be critical of anyone involved in violence prevention. 

​

 

July 22 | Fast Food Terrorism: Radicalization in the Era of TikTok 

​

Terrosim researchers from the Soufan Center have reported that "Terrorism is evolving, sometimes almost beyond recognition. The pace of radicalization is accelerating. Attacks have become increasingly basic, unsophisticated and cheap. For some, terrorism seems to be like a craving, a source of dopamine to satisfy carnal impulses."

​

Modern extremist groups and lone-wolf actors across the ideological spectrum have shifted away from dense, formal manifestos. Instead, they weaponize "gamified" digital spaces—using viral internet memes, private Discord servers, alternative gaming platforms (like Roblox or customized Minecraft servers), and short-form video apps like TikTok. By blending extremist propaganda with dark humor, irony, and interactive digital cultures, these networks systematically lower the barrier to entry for vulnerable young people. They exploit adolescent needs for belonging, identity, and purpose, transforming passive digital consumption into cognitive and behavioral radicalization before parents, educators, or law enforcement even realize a shift has occurred. 

​

This timely training bridges that digital divide, equipping threat assessment professionals and teams to decode the hidden online signals of youth radicalization and disrupt the pathway to violence before it transitions into a real-world tragedy.

 

July 29 | The Role of BTAM in Managing Hostile Separations & Fear Management Strategies

​

Terminating an employee is one of the most volatile flashpoints in workplace risk management. When separation is involuntary, the intersection of personal crisis, perceived injustice, and potential history of instability creates a high-stakes environment for behavioral threat assessment and management professionals. Knowing that a co-worker has separated after making threats or acting aggressively can rattle the workplace. ​Fears about retaliation or revenge can quickly become rumors that impact productivity and morale. Fears about a co-worker assessed as a lower level of violence risk and remaining in the workplace can have the same effect.

 

This presentation provides a deep dive into the pre-attack indicators and environmental triggers specifically associated with workplace terminations. We will move beyond basic HR protocols to explore the behavioral nuances of "the grievance cycle" and how BTAM teams can lead a multidisciplinary approach to mitigate risk before, during, and after the "final walk-out." Effective threat management strategies often incorporate elements of fear management. Recognizing and addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of a hostile situation can be vital in preventing escalation and fostering a safer environment. This program is intened for threat assessors, security professionals, HR, legal and everyone involved in the separation process. 

​