For more than 20 years, I’ve been teaching a college course on the science of well-being. When we get to the topic of the psychology of courage, I begin with a single question: Were the Sept. 11 hijackers courageous?

The conversation often gets heated. A few reflexive reactions emerge. Someone usually says something to the effect of “Absolutely not! They’re cowards!” This year, I had a Middle Eastern student who took the risk of disagreeing with rising public sentiment in the class. She noted the importance of acquiring the terrorists’ perspective, understanding their culture and belief system. In prior years, veterans enrolled in my class explained that sometimes violence is necessary to protect your country.

Todd B. Kashdan is a professor of psychology and leads the Well-Being Laboratory at George Mason University. His latest book is The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively.