MIMICRY BEHAVIOR UNDER CONDITIONS OF VIOLENT COERCION: PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF ADAPTATION TO EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES

The article is devoted to the phenomenon of mimicry behavior, a complex adaptive mechanism of the psyche that becomes active in extreme conditions of violence and coercion. Based on the analysis of situations of military captivity, hostage-taking, domestic violence and involvement in destructive cults, the essence of mimicry as a survival strategy is revealed, in which an individual demonstrates external compliance with the aggressor's requirements, preserving or transforming the inner psychological core.