Protection from Psychological Operations
Psychological operations (psych-ops or psy-ops)
refer to the planned use of psychological knowledge to influence groups,
organizations or populations to act in certain ways. Although associated
with guerilla warfare, rebellion and subversion; many marketing and
political strategies include psych-ops techniques ... perhaps called "office
politics", "hostile takeovers",
"social engineering" or "effective marketing".
Organizations can protect themselves from hostile psych-ops manipulation
by recognizing the warning signs, defusing their tactics and convincing its
members to commit to a common mission. We sometimes
coach leaders through these steps.
The methodologies developed for psy-ops provide a
knowledge base for:
- executives considering major organizational change
- managers who wish to comprehend political realities
- people who wish to recognize organizational strategies
- leaders who wish to protect the interests of an
organization
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"Persuasive efforts
are labeled propaganda when someone judges that the action which
is the goal of the persuasive effort will be advantageous to the
persuader but not in the best interests of the persuadee (...) We can
study propaganda as we can study good and evil. We don't make the
judgments but we can study the phenomena so judged."
-- Roger Brown, Words and Things (1958) |
What is Psychological Warfare?
1. using propaganda to try to demoralize an enemy in war,
usually including civilian populations
2. using psychological tactics to disconcert and disadvantage an opponent,
e.g. causing fear or anxiety
(Microsoft Encarta 2003.)
History of Psych-Ops
Psychological operations go back to at least the ancient Greek
wars and the fall of Troy (the Trojan Horse still affects computer operations).
More recently, the American Office of War Information disseminated information
in the USA and abroad, and the American Office of Strategic Service (OSS) provided
psychological operations against perceived or potential enemies. Many other countries
developed similar organizations.
Peacetime applications of psych-ops may be most evident in
political elections and marketing campaigns.
Common techniques used to influence public attitude and opinion are:
- use media to distort events
- recruit and use opinion leaders
- adjust appeals to fit group interests
- manufacture "news" in staged events
Large
commercial interests, such as oil, logging, drug and insurance companies, initiate
extensive systemic politics to develop public support for legislation favorable to their
interests. Similarly, civil rights and other movements may use low-budget
psychological operations - protest marches, assemblies, picketing and sit-ins
- although often with less expertise.
Psychological operations seem to be most effective
with people who:
- trust authorities
- have little education
- accept information uncritically
- want to believe the propaganda
- benefit from the proposed change
- do not wish to understand their own motivations
Psychological operations are also used by anti-nuclear groups, women’s
rights activists, pro-abortion and anti-abortion groups, gun-control
lobbies, adherents of capital punishment, senior citizen groups, and
small political organizations. Modern technology (e.g. internet and
cell phones) greatly increases the influence of psych-ops efforts. (A sad
example of psych-ops is parental alienation,
in which a parent incites children to distrust or hate the other parent,
usually to gain some personal advantage.)
Psych-Ops Missions
Psychological operations are designed to penetrate organizational, social or political entities
to change the attitudes and activities of the members of an organization. In systemic
politics, a common psych-ops goal is
to use propaganda to provide multiple opportunities for members of an
organization to distrust their existing leadership and to identify with new or changed missions.
Psy-ops
missions include takeovers,
mergers, changes of ownership of companies, etc
The identification with a mission can be
divided into systemic steps applying the hierarchy of logical types
described by Dr Gregory Bateson in "Logical Categories of Learning and
Communicating" (Steps to an Ecology of Mind, 1972).
Further applications are inherent in the research of Dr Clare Graves, in his
studies of the evolution of organizational values and behavior. See
Evolution of Human Systems
Political and Leadership Coaching
Leadership
Influential people can be recruited into a hierarchy with offers
of power, security and material rewards. (Such
recruits will likely test and attempt to exploit the existing leadership hierarchy.) Infiltration
Spies, sleepers and moles can provide essential information for an
effective Psych-Ops campaign. Informants can be found or planted into critical
groups, or where resistance may be anticipated.
Propaganda
Effective propaganda changes the attitudes of populations.
This can be achieved if people identify with a new or changed mission.
Propaganda is used to extend this identification to increase popular support
for a mission and provide points of convergence for transformative action.
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The Institute for Propaganda Analysis
(IPA) was created in 1937 to alert the public to
political propaganda. The IPA identified seven basic propaganda tricks:
Name-Calling, Glittering Generalities, Transfers,
Testimonials, Plain Folks, Card Stacking and Band Wagon.
According to Combs and Nimmo (1993), "these seven devices have been repeated
so frequently in lectures, articles and textbooks ever since that they have
become virtually synonymous with the practice and analysis of propaganda in
all its aspects." |
Propaganda Teams
Propaganda Teams are formed by selecting and training persuasive, motivated
people, who move within an organization and encourage people to support the
organizational mission. They can provide a multi-stage
persuasion program that integrates strategic planning with organizational
attitudes, and also provide feedback about rumors and
attitude changes.
Covert Members
Established professionals - doctors, lawyers, managers,
etc, may be recruited to participate covertly. Their authority can influence
members of a community or organization to support a changed political
agenda or marketing mission.
Bribery
In some cultures, bribing officials is the accepted way to get things
done. In the West, the risks of bribery are high and exposure
can be damaging. Instead, governments and corporations often offer bribes
publicly. Publicized bribery is commonplace - it is hidden in plain sight
and difficult to attack.
Mass Meetings
Mass meetings may be
controlled by placing or recruiting operatives in organizations such as
unions and professional associations. Operatives can prepare a
mental attitude that can be transformed into votes.
A small focused group can provide an impression of a wide popular movement,
and motivate a behavior change of thousands of people.
Convergence
If infiltration, propaganda, covert influence and controlled
meetings are developed parallel to
strategic operations (e.g. press releases, lawsuits and stock market moves),
an order for fusion (focused synchronous action in all areas)
may complete that psych-ops mission.
Stay Resourceful in Chaos .
Exit Coaching from Extremist
Groups . Verbal Aikido
Coaching with Martyn
Plagiarism is theft. Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 2002-2012 All rights reserved
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