psy warfare

1. PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
Lecture # 3
Part II
Understanding Psychological Warfare:
Propaganda, Deception, Persuasion, and
Perception Management

2. PROPAGANDA
• Definition/Concept
• Types
• Characteristics of Propaganda
• Mediums
• Propaganda Techniques
• Examples
• Ethical Issues

3. PROPAGANDA: Definition/Concept
• Translated from the Latin-word ‘gerundive’ – (things that must be disseminated)
• “Propaganda consists of the planned use of any form of public or mass-produced
communication designed to affect the minds and emotions of a given group for a specific
purpose, whether military, economic, or political.”
Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
Psychological Warfare
• “Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate
cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the
propagandist.”
- Jowett & O'Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion
• “Propaganda is neutrally defined as a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that
attempts to influence the emotions, attitudes, opinions, and actions of specified target
audiences for ideological, political or commercial purposes through the controlled
transmission of one-sided messages (which may or may not be factual) via mass and direct
media channels. A propaganda organization employs propagandists who engage in
propagandism—the applied creation and distribution of such forms of persuasion.”
- Richard Alan Nelson,
A Chronology and Glossary of Propaganda in the United States

4. PROPAGANDA: Types (…I) Overt – Covert
• Distinction based on level of transparency
▫ Overt propaganda describes conditions in which
the propagandist’s identity and interests are
known to the reactor, or target audience.
▫ Covert propaganda is in play when the
propagandist is unknown or disguised, as in
instances of unsigned political advertisements,
clandestine radio stations using false names, or
statements by officials who have been secretly
bribed. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

5. PROPAGANDA: Types (…II) White – Grey
– Black
• White propaganda is issued from an
acknowledged source... This type of propaganda
is associated with overt psychological
operations.
• Grey propaganda does not clearly identify any
source.
• Black propaganda purports to emanate from a
source other than the true one. This type of
propaganda is associated with covert
psychological operations.

6. PROPAGANDA: Key Characteristics
• Provision of partial/selective information
• Could be negative or positive
• Examination of Intentions matter a lot in the
analysis of propaganda
• Mostly ‘value-laden’
• Basis of War propaganda always suggest, ‘we are
good, they are evil’ approach
• Appeal is directed more often at emotions and less
at intellect
• Advertising, Public Relations, Political marketing,
Public information campaigns etc (Point of
differentiation: emphasis on political objectives)

7. PROPAGANDA: Mediums commonly used
• Television (News, Talk-shows, commercials, songs, drama,
documentaries, etc)
• Cinema (Films, Documentaries)
• Radio Broadcast
• Leaflets
• Posters
• Pamphlets
• Pictures/images
• Newspaper/magazine
• Internet (Blogs, social networking websites, other websites)
- Choice of medium largely depends upon the nature of
objective (and also on the availability of resources)

8. The partnership of nations is here
to help
Information Radio
0500-1000
1700-2200 Daily
864, 1107, 8700 KHZ

9. FRONT: "TALIBAN WE
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE"
BACK: "STOP FIGHTING FOR
THE TALIBAN AND LIVE"

10. "Osama bin Laden and his
foreign henchmen do not want
Afghans to live in peace with
each other. Afghans need to rid
themselves of these fanatics."
Osama bin Laden sacrifices
the Afghan people for his own
pride. He used the Taliban to
exterminate whole
communities opposed to his
fanaticism.

11. "People of Afghanistan"
"Eid Mubarakm.
We wish that God will accept
your prayers and fast.
Have a blessed holiday"
People of America

12. FRONT: "Get wealth and
power beyond your dreams.
Help the Anti-Taliban Gorces
rid Afghanistan of murderers
and terrorists"
BACK: TEXT ONLY!
• "You can receive millions of
dollars for helping the Anti-
Taliban Force catch Al-Aaida
and Taliban murderers. This is
enough money to take care of
your family, your village, your
tribe for the rest of your life.
Pay for livestock and doctors
and school books and housing
for all your people."

13. The word "HALAL" in the last
panel refers to food prepared
in accordance with the Koran.

14. WHO REALLY RUNS THE
TALIBAN
EXPEL THE FOREIGN
RULERS AND LIVE IN PEACE

15. "Taliban and Al Qaida
fighters, we know where you
are hiding."
"Taliban and Al Qaida
fighters, you are our targets."

16. PROPAGANDA: Techniques
Edward Filene helped establish the Institute of Propaganda Analysis in 1937 to educate the
American public about the nature of propaganda and how to recognize propaganda
techniques. Filene and his colleagues identified the seven most common "tricks of the trade"
used by successful propagandists (Marlin 102-106: Propaganda Critic: Introduction). The
techniques identified by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis are further refined by Aaron
Delwich (A.D) on his website, Propaganda where he "discusses various propaganda
techniques, provides contemporary examples of their use, and proposes strategies of mental
self-defense."
These techniques are called:
• Name-calling (IPA)
• Glittering generalities (IPA)
• Euphemisms (A.D)
• Transfer (IPA)
• Testimonials (IPA)
• Plain folks appeal (IPA)
• Bandwagon effect (IPA)
• Fear (A.D)
• Card-stacking
• Assertion
• Lesser of Two Evils
• Pin-pointing the Enemy
• Simplification (Stereotyping)
Grouped under
‘word games’
False Connections
Special Appeals

17. NAME CALLING
“Bad names have played a tremendously powerful role in the history of the world
and in our own individual development. They have ruined reputations, stirred
men and women to outstanding accomplishments, sent others to prison cells, and
made men mad enough to enter battle and slaughter their fellowmen. They have
been and are applied to other people, groups, gangs, tribes, colleges, political
parties, neighborhoods, states, sections of the country, nations, and
races." (Institute for Propaganda Analysis, 1938)
• Name calling occurs often in politics and wartime scenarios, but very seldom in
advertising. It is the use of derogatory language or words that carry a negative
connotation when describing an enemy. The propaganda attempts to arouse
prejudice among the public by labeling the target something that the public
dislikes. Often, name calling is employed using sarcasm and ridicule, and
shows up often in political cartoons or writings.
• The most obvious type of name calling involves bad names. For example,
consider the following:
▫ Commie
▫ Fascist
▫ Terrorist
▫ Coward

18. GLITTERING GENERALITIES
• It also occurs very often in politics and political propaganda.
Glittering generalities are words that have different positive
meaning for individual subjects, but are linked to highly
valued concepts. When these words are used, they demand
approval without thinking, simply because such an important
concept is involved. For example, when a person is asked to
do something in "defense of democracy" they are more likely
to agree. The concept of democracy has a positive connotation
to them because it is linked to a concept that they value.
Words often used as glittering generalities are honor, glory,
love of country, and especially in the United States, freedom.
• “The Glittering Generality is, in short, Name Calling in
reverse. While Name Calling seeks to make us form a
judgment to reject and condemn without examining the
evidence, the Glittering Generality device seeks to make us
approve and accept without examining the evidence. In
acquainting ourselves with the Glittering Generality Device,
therefore, all that has been said regarding Name Calling must
be kept in mind…” (Institute for Propaganda Analysis, 1938)

19. EUPHEMISMS
• When propagandists use glittering generalities and name-calling symbols,
they are attempting to arouse their audience with vivid, emotionally
suggestive words. In certain situations, however, the propagandist attempts
to pacify the audience in order to make an unpleasant reality more
palatable. This is accomplished by using words that are bland and
euphemistic.
Since war is particularly unpleasant, military discourse is full of
euphemisms. In the 1940's, America changed the name of the War
Department to the Department of Defense. Under the Reagan
Administration, the MX-Missile was renamed "The Peacekeeper." During
war-time, civilian casualties are referred to as ‘collateral damage’.
In the wake of the first world war, traumatized veterans were said to be
suffering from "shell shock." After the second world war, people began to
use the term "combat fatigue" to characterize the same condition. The
phrase is a bit more pleasant, but it still acknowledges combat as the source
of discomfort. In the wake of the Vietnam War, people referred to "post-traumatic
stress disorder": a phrase that is completely disconnected from
the reality of war altogether.

20. TRANSFER
• It is an attempt to make the subject view a certain
item in the same way as they view another item, to
link the two in the subjects mind. Although this
technique is often used to transfer negative feelings
for one object to another, it can also be used in
positive ways. By linking an item to something the
subject respects or enjoys, positive feelings can be
generated for it. However, in politics, transfer is
most often used to transfer blame or bad feelings
from one politician to another of his friends or party
members, or even to the party itself.
• Example: Calling our atomic bomb an Islamic
bomb: Imp to see how it plays both ways!

21. TESTIMONIAL
• Testimonials are quotations or endorsements, in or
out of context, which attempt to connect a famous or
respectable person with a product or item.
Testimonials are very closely connected to the
transfer technique, in that an attempt is made to
connect an agreeable person to another item.
Testimonials are often used in advertising and
political campaigns.
• There is nothing wrong with citing a qualified
source, and the testimonial technique can be used to
construct a fair, well-balanced argument. However,
it is often used in ways that are unfair and
misleading.
The most common misuse of the testimonial
involves citing individuals who are not qualified to
make judgements about a particular issue.

22. PLAIN FOLKS APPEAL
• The plain folks device is an attempt by the
propagandist to convince the public that his/her
views reflect those of the common person and that
they are also working for the benefit of the common
person. The propagandist will often attempt to use
the accent of a specific audience as well as using
specific idioms or jokes. Also, the propagandist,
especially during speeches, may attempt to increase
the illusion through imperfect pronunciation,
stuttering, and a more limited vocabulary. Errors
such as these help add to the impression of sincerity
and spontaneity. This technique is usually most
effective when used with glittering generalities, in an
attempt to convince the public that the propagandist
views about highly valued ideas are similar to their
own and therefore more valid.

23. BANDWAGON
• Bandwagon is one of the most common techniques in
both wartime and peacetime and plays an important part
in modern advertising. Bandwagon is an appeal to the
subject to follow the crowd, to join in because others are
doing so as well. Bandwagon propaganda is, essentially,
trying to convince the subject that one side is the
winning side, because more people have joined it. The
subject is meant to believe that since so many people
have joined, that victory is inevitable and defeat
impossible. Since the average person always wants to be
on the winning side, he or she is compelled to join in.
However, in modern propaganda, bandwagon has taken
a new twist. The subject is to be convinced by the
propaganda that since everyone else is doing it, they will
be left out if they do not. This is, effectively, the opposite
of the other type of bandwagon, but usually provokes the
same results.

24. FEAR
• When a propagandist warns members of her
audience that disaster will result if they do not
follow a particular course of action, she is using the
fear appeal. By playing on the audience's deep-seated
fears, practitioners of this technique hope to
redirect attention away from the merits of a
particular proposal and toward steps that can be
taken to reduce the fear.
• There are four elements to a successful fear appeal:
1) a threat
2) a specific recommendation about how the
audience should behave
3) audience perception that the recommendation
will be effective in addressing the threat
4) audience perception that they are capable of
performing the recommended behavior.

25. CARD STACKING
• Card stacking involves only presenting
information that is positive to an idea or
proposal and omitting information contrary to
it. Card stacking is used in almost all forms of
propaganda, and is extremely effective in
convincing the public. Although the majority of
information presented by the card stacking
approach is true, it is dangerous because it omits
important information.

26. ASSERTION
• Assertion is commonly used in advertising and modern
propaganda. An assertion is an enthusiastic or energetic
statement presented as a fact, although it is not necessarily
true. They often imply that the statement requires no
explanation or back up, but that it should merely be accepted
without question. Examples of assertion, although somewhat
scarce in wartime propaganda, can be found often in modern
advertising propaganda. Any time an advertiser states that
their product is the best without providing evidence for this,
they are using an assertion. The subject, ideally, should simply
agree to the statement without searching for additional
information or reasoning. Assertions, although usually simple
to spot, are often dangerous forms of propaganda because
they often include falsehoods or lies.

27. LESSER OF TWO EVILS
• The "lesser of two evils" technique tries to convince
us of an idea or proposal by presenting it as the least
offensive option. This technique is often
implemented during wartime to convince people of
the need for sacrifices or to justify difficult decisions.
This technique is often accompanied by adding
blame on an enemy country or political group. One
idea or proposal is often depicted as one of the only
options or paths. When confronted with this
technique, the subject should consider the value of
any proposal independently of those it is being
compared with.

28. PIN-POINTING THE ENEMY
• Pinpointing the enemy is used extremely often
during wartime, and also in political campaigns
and debates. This is an attempt to simplify a
complex situation by presenting one specific
group or person as the enemy. Although there
may be other factors involved the subject is
urged to simply view the situation in terms of
clear-cut right and wrong. When coming in
contact with this technique, the subject should
attempt to consider all other factors tied into the
situation.

29. SIMPLIFICATION/STEREOTYPING
• Simplification is similar to pinpointing the
enemy, in that it often reduces a complex
situation to a clear-cut choice involving good
and evil. This technique is often useful in
swaying uneducated audiences.

30. • http://mason.gmu.edu/~amcdonal/Propaganda
%20Techniques.html
• http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/ct.w
g.name.html
• http://www.psywarrior.com/Herbafghan.html
• http://www.stentorian.com/propagan.html