The description of a terrorist this technique throws up is far removed from the caricatures often seen in the Western media.
"The work on pathways into terrorism indicates that it comes out of a social process; it comes out of a series of contacts that terrorists have with other individuals," Professor Canter told BBC News.
"These may be friends and associates; they may be members of their family. But more typically, they will be some sort of person they look up to, who may be a senior individual within a terrorist organisation, or maybe a teacher that they feel provides them with some feelings of self-worth and significance if they will take part in violent activity."
The professor said there were two main pathways into terror - through attachment to particular social groups who are on the fringes of terrorism; and through strong ideals or spiritual beliefs. These two routes could be further subdivided.