This document discusses various propaganda techniques used to influence opinions and decisions. It provides examples of common techniques such as bandwagon, name-calling, testimonial, glittering generality, plain-folks appeal, transfer, emotional words, faulty reasoning, and fear. The document emphasizes the importance of being informed decision-makers by checking sources, identifying hidden messages and propaganda techniques, and listening to our own judgment.

1. Whose voice guides your
choice?
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Propaganda techniques in the
media

2. How do you decide who is the
best candidate…
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3. or which is the
best toothpaste ?
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4. Looking for facts to back up
your choice is an excellent
idea, but find out who is
presenting those facts.
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5. Are they facts at all,
or is the advertiser
using propaganda
techniques to
persuade you?
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6. What are Propaganda
techniques?
• Propaganda is designed to
persuade.
• Its purpose is to influence your
opinions, emotions, attitudes,
or behavior.
• It seeks to “guide your choice.”

7. Who us e s
P ropa g a nda ?
•Military
•Media
•Advertisers
•Politicians
•You and I

8. What are some of the techniques
used to persuade us?
•Bandwagon
•Name-calling
•Testimonial
•Glittering Generality
•Plain-folks appeal
•Transfer
•Emotional words
•Faulty Reasoning
•Fear

9. B a ndw a
g eo y b o d y is doing this.
•E v r
n
•If you want to fit in, you need to “jump
on the bandwagon” and do it too.
•The implication is that you must J OI N
in to F I T in .
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10. For
e x a m p le :
If t h e
w h o le Bank of the World Visa Card-
You can use it from Tennessee to
w o r ld Timbuktu-
anywhere you travel in whole wide
u s e s t h is world !!
V IS A c a r d , Sign up today at www.bowvisa.com
yo u m u s t Clipart-Microsoft Office XP 2002

11. N a m e -c a llin g
•A negative word or feeling is
attached to an idea, product, or
person.
• If that word or feeling goes along
with that person or idea, the
implication is that we shouldn’t be
interested in it.

12. For example:
Do we want a mayor who will leave us in
debt?
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Spending grew 100%
under Mayor Moneybags!

13. Testimonial
•A famous person endorses an
idea, a product, a candidate.
•If someone famous uses this
product, believes this idea, or
supports this candidate, so should
we.

14. For example:
If we drink milk we
will all be as
famous as Milly the
model. Clipart-Microsoft Office XP 2002
Milly the Model
asks, “Got Milk?”

15. Glittering Generality
•A commonly admired virtue is
used to inspire positive feelings
for a person, idea, or product.
•Words like truth, democracy,
beauty, timeless are examples of
those general terms.

16. For example:
If you want to
be brighter,
you’ll support
Bill Brite.
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Look on the bright
side!
Vote for Bill Brite !

17. Plain-folks appeal
This idea, product, or person
is associated with normal,
everyday people and
activities.

18. For Example:
We want a Jim Smith, a mayor who
supports the regular American worker.
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Vote for Smith

19. Transfer
•Symbols, quotes, or images of
famous people are used to
convey a message.
•The message may not
necessarily be associated with
them.

20. Celebrate
For example: the American
Way this 4th
Joe uses symbols of of July-
America to tie his Eat at Joe’s
restaurant to
American values for Joe’s Barbeque
Independence Day.
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21. Emotional words
•Words that leave us with
positive feelings are used to
describe a product, person,
or idea.
•We associate those words
and, therefore, those
positive feelings with the
product.

22. For example:
What feelings
are inspired by
the words “true
love”? If you
wear this
cologne will
someone fall in
love with you? True
Love
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23. Faulty Reasoning
•Factual supporting details are
used though they do not support
the conclusion. It works like
this:
•Christians believe in God.
•Muslims believe in God.
•Christians are Muslims.

24. For example:
Does this mean
that teachers
need medication
to keep their cool
during the school More teac hers
recommend
day ? C alm-me to help
them make it
through the day
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25. Fear
•Our fears are displayed.
•Ideas, candidates, or
products are shown to put
our fears to rest.

26. For example:
If you use Safety
Ware it will
prevent people
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Guard against
from stealing Identity theft
your identity-or Use Safety Ware
will it?
www.safetyware.com

27. How do we make sure that we are
making informed choices,
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instead of allowing others to sway us in
our decision-making?

28. We make our own choices
when …
•we read and listen to reliable sources,
•we watch for combinations of truths
and lies,
•we check for hidden messages,
•we watch for use of propaganda
techniques,

29. and, most importantly,
www.scottish.parliament.uk/ educationservice
WHEN WE LISTEN TO OUR OWN
VOICES !