Levy rutgers university alexander george was a towering figure who made path breaking and enduring contribu tions to political psychology, international relations, and social science methodology. Journal of experimental social psychology, 38, 459. The psychology of attitudes, motivation, and persuasion. This book is dedicated to chris, who glows in his fathers eye. A historical perspective chapter pdf available january 1992 with 21,538 reads. Some people use menacing psychological methods to absolutely rule over their partners. An ethical analysis of contemporary use of coercive. A sociopsychological analysis of the brain washing of american civilian prisoners by the chinese com munists. Coercive persuasion and thought reform are alternate names for programs of social influence capable of producing substantial behavior and attitude change through the use of coercive tactics, persuasion, andor interpersonal and groupbased. The former is a peaceful means to an end, while the latter employs fear and threats to achieve results. These accounts, analysing protest movements from the 1960s and 1970s, emphasize how coercive persuasion can work via social and economic contexts where individuals are subjected to duress in situations of structural and relational disadvantage, such as physical vulnerability, that influences them to act or think in particular ways. Margaret thaler singer was an expert in cults and sects, brainwashing, and coercive persuasion or coercive mind control see the page on coercive mind control. Coercive persuasion, mind control and brain washing. Levy rutgers university alexander george was a towering.
Regardless, there are times when each tactic is useful or necessary. The study of coercive persuasion predates any reference to the study of cults. Coercive mind control tactics psychological harassment. Coercive persuasion brainwashing, religious cults, and. The six principles of effective influence are liking, authority, scarcity, consistency, reciprocity, and social proof. Download fulltext pdf persuasive communication theory in social psychology. Coercive psychological systems use psychological force in a coercive way to cause the learning and adoption of an ideology or designated set of beliefs, ideas, attitudes, or behaviors. Brainwashing is the subject of many movies and documentaries, like the one about communists in vietnam who brainwashed us soldiers.
How to use 10 psychological theories to persuade people. Persuasion definition persuasion is a method of changing a persons cognitions, feelings, behaviors, or general evaluations attitudes toward some object, issue, or person. Pdf persuasive communication theory in social psychology. However, the process isnt always as dramatic as it seems in the movies. The difference between persuade, convince, and coerce. What is coercive control in an abusive relationship. She manages the facebook and instagram social media pages, outside the ark, which share educational information about cult dynamics and coercive control. Cult education forum coercive persuasion and undue. Concurrently, with the rise of mass media and the pervasiveness. The psychology of persuasion as one of the most important books hes read. Margaret singer professor emeritus at the university of california at berkeley the acknowledged leading authority in the world on mind control and cults. This sure should be expanded, but im not a law expert. A sociopsychological analysis of the brainwashing of american civilian prisoners by the chinese communists schein, e. Topics psychology, persuasion, influence, masses, hypnosis, psychological influence, mind control, thought control collection opensource language.
Brainwashing is said to reduce its subjects ability to think critically or independently, to allow the introduction of new, unwanted thoughts and ideas into their minds. Psychiatric interviews and psychological testing were conducted with 50 members of former members of a variety of religious cults who contacted the authors about the issue of deprogramming. They assert that persuasion can be separated from other, less savory forms of influence manipulation, coercion, indoctrination, etc. Because of the close connections between chinese and soviet communism and because of the importance which soviet psychology seems to attach to the works. Contents introduction v 1 1 weapons of influence 2 reciprocation. Several years ago a group of american scientistpsychologists, psychiatrists and neurophysiologistswho were trying to develop an understanding of the russian and chinese methods of obtaining false confessions, compliant behavior, and the apparent conversion of beliefs interviewed a veteran member of the state security. A sociopsychological analysis of the brainwashing of american civilian prisoners by. Effective persuasion strategies in romantic relationships. Coercive persuasion oxford academic journals oxford university. The use of force is then a precedent to the failure of less direct means of persuasion.
Lambert, msw, is a psychotherapist and consultant in intimate partner abuse, and the author of women with controlling partners. The reliance on intense interpersonal and psychological attack to destabilize. It involves a set of various types of forceful actions that violate the free will of an individual to induce a desired response, for example. I wish to thank inge schneier and curtis barker who were my collaborators in preparing that volume and who therefore contributed importantly to this paper. A critical evaluation of coercive persuasion as used in the.
The limits of coercive persuasion as an explanation for conversion to. Taking back your life from a manipulative or abusive partner. There is the usage of force in persuasion, which does not have any scientific theories, except for its use to make demands. A victim may be subjected to various types of coercive. Unfortunately, a search of the scientific literature, using the terms coercive persuasion, brain washing and mind control, does not reveal much.
Explaining theories of persuasion sage publications. Examples of coercive power include threats of writeups, demotions, pay cuts, layoffs, and terminations. Introduction to cults, coercive persuasion, and systems of. Today mind control or brainwashing in academia is commonly referred to as coercive persuasion, coercive psychological systems or coercive influence. Understanding strategies of persuasion in psychology. The old give and takeand take 43 3 commitment and consistency. Ethical and pragmatic reasons not to use the principles in deceptive or coercive ways also are noted. Three case studies exploring rhetoric of coercion by caitlin brook blaney a thesis submitted to johns hopkins university in. Explaining theories of persuasion s ince the mid1930s when dale carnegie first published his bestselling book how to win friends and influence people, the notion of how to persuade others has been both a popular and profitable subject.
Although any change technique is sometimes referred to as persuasion regardless of the target of influence, the term more commonly refers to a method of change in which a person is deliberately. The confidential amway career manual then instructs the salesperson to. The reliance on intense interpersonal and psychological attack to destabilize an individuals sense of self to promote compliance 2. The materials in the guide are organized for easy absorption and application. A victim may be subjected to various types of coercive influence, anxiety and stressproducing tactics over time. Some groups use coercive persuasion to alter and reward certain types of behavior, but similar tactics can be used for marketing and. Persuasion methods are also sometimes referred to as persuasion tactics or persuasion strategies. Coercive persuasion brainwashing, religious cults, and deprogramming. We begin by exploring coercive persuasion as a concept and situate its roots in contemporary theories.
Cialdini has identified 7 key influencers of persuasion based on 35 years of evidence based research. Coercive persuasion coercive persuasion a sociopsychological analysis of. I have come back to finish reading this book, and have completely revised my opinion on it. Brainwashing also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and reeducation is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. If you want people to stop smoking, for example, you dont need to make it illegal. Most interesting unethical, coercive persuasion have mostly been associated with religious leaders of sects and cults 2628 and political totalism. Johnsons research interests include the epistemology of women and how cultic, coercive, and misogynistic experiences influence the cognitive. Applying interpersonal pressure to promote conformity 4.
We usually equate coercion with obvious force, but sometimes its far more subtle. Coercive persuasion and the culpable mind by vanessa merton. An ethical analysis of contemporary use of coercive persuasion 179 especially if the inflicted harm is obvious, unless the person is criminal or insane. Leadership through coercive persuasion in busi ness organisations.
A sociopsychological analysis of the brainwashing of american civilian prisoners by the chinese communists. In academic fields, the terms coercive persuasion, coercive psychological systems or coercive influence are often used interchangeably. It seeks to force or compel behavior rather than to influence behavior through persuasion. When answering these kinds of questions, i like to provide some scientific evidence validating my point of view. You may understand the concept of brainwashing better if you call it coercive persuasion.
Coercive persuasion is studied in managerial psychology, psychology of religion, epistemology, civil law, politics, diplomacy, and different aspects of sociology. The article provides specific examples of how each principle can be applied in both mediation and negotiation contexts. Coercive psychological systems are behavioral change programs which use psychological force in a coercive way to cause the learning and adoption of an ideology or designated set of beliefs, ideas, attitudes, or behaviors. Coercive persuasion and attitude change semantic scholar.
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