Download A Democratic Response to the Hostile Propaganda of

A Democratic Response to the
Hostile Propaganda of
Dictators and Demagogues
Anthony R. Pratkanis
University of California
Why is the audience hostile?
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Enemy combatants in battle (Response:
psychological warfare)
Realistic conflict (Response: “Getting to yes;”
peace-building; diplomacy)
Hostile propaganda: A demagogue
(attempting to gain power) or dictator (has
power) uses propaganda (playing on
emotions & prejudices) to convince a people
or nation to hate someone
The seeds of hostile propaganda and
the Road to Wigan Pier
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Orwell was right:
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Hostile propaganda thrives when people feel
relatively deprived & frustrated
Frustration leads to feelings of inadequacy & fear
and a desire for an explanation & solution
The successful dictator & demagogue
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uses frustration as the basis of propaganda by
providing “explanations” for the feelings,
“solutions,” and self-esteem boosts
may create frustration & fear with imaginary
“threats” to the group (ala Jim Jones in Guyana)
The nature of hostile propaganda
and how to counter it
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An historical analysis of the propaganda
of demagogues and dictators shows a
surprising pattern of the same tactics
used over and over again
A democratic response requires
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Countering the propagandist’s tactic
Providing positive influence to establish a
positive relationship and democracy
Some Common Hostile
Propaganda Tactics of
Demagogues and Dictators
Fixation on a phantom goal
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A phantom is an unavailable option that is
made to look real
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Juche is an advanced ideology that will free world
of US & Japanese imperialism
Islamist brings the City of God on earth
Powerful tactic because
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Gives hope & meaning to replace frustration
Motivates the faithful to achieve the phantom
Social control (enemies don’t want phantom)
Makes alternatives look unattractive and the
regime important
Counters to phantoms
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Offer real hope (after listening to what
the target audience wants)
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A vision of what can be
A reasonable plan to get there
Demonstrate progress to obtain the goal
Point out (indirectly) the weakness of
the demagogue’s phantom (such as
publicizing internal complaints)
Of god & history (leader
credibility)
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Leader creates myth of personal
divinity/ordained by history
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Kim can stop rain, bring Spring in the fall, and turn
the sea into fertile land
Bin Laden’s flight out of Saudi Arabia compared to
Mohammed’s flight from Mecca; speeches laced
with “Allah willing;” fatwa’s; release of sweet odor
of martyrs’ body after death
Powerful tactic because it is hard to disobey
“god;” extreme behavior is acceptable
Leader provides a solution to frustration
(escape from freedom)
Counters to leader credibility
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Publicize people’s criticism of leader
Support multiple leaders and
alternatives
Use subtle communications to
undermine leader’s grip (e.g. body of
martyrs did not smell sweet)
Do not strengthen the leader’s position
by playing into leader myths
Granfalloon with scapegoating
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Use or create a superior in-group identity
(Aryans, Islam, Juche in N. Korea) and an
inferior out-group (Jews, Americans)
Powerful tactic because
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Cue to what is truth
Induces conformity (to be in the group)
Provides excuse (scapegoat) for frustration and
leader’s failures
Couple with other tactics results in moral
disengagement
Counters to granfalloon
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Use superordinate identities whenever
possible (us humans, God-fearing)
Use other’s identity to promote own message
(“Islam says;” Khatami, 1998)
Don’t reinforce granfalloon boundaries
Use jigsaw method to reduce intergroup
conflict (Marshall plan)
Humanize the out-group/scapegoat (RFE &
Jews)
Promote multiple, flexible identities
Projection & innuendo
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Projection: blame an enemy for your misdeed
Innuendo: false rumor or slur
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Kim Jong-Il: US is planning to invade the Korean
peninsula
bin Laden: America is seeking to control Saudi
Arabia
Do not underestimate the power of these
tactics
Can be used on internal foes to remove
alternatives to the regime
Counters to projection &
innuendo
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Damn it, refute it, damn it, replace it
Inoculation (if you know it is coming)
Stealing thunder (if there is some truth
to it)
Admit mistakes immediately
Commitment via
rationalization trap
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Commitment is created via escalating
actions moving from small to
increasingly more difficult
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Attend rally, give money, join group, wear
distinctive garb, etc. Viet Cong asked
villagers for small favors
Changes the nature of thought and
action from rational to rationalizing and
the true believer
Counters to commitment trap
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Frontal attacks rarely work; creates
defensiveness
Small hypocrisies
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Aum leaders eat sushi
bin Laden kills Muslims; Muhammad: “To insult a
brother-Muslim is sinful, to kill him is unbelief.”
Use foot-in-the-door to create commitment to
United States interest
Agenda setting and control
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Media discuss only a small set of issues that
can favor one side or the other
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US is out to get our oil
Crusade against Islam
Should there be an attack in Ramadan?
Terrorism as agenda control
Works because
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As long as these are the issues being discussed
others cannot be discussed
Repetition = Truth & Liking
Counters to agenda setting
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Select a message and stay on message
Counter specific criticisms and then get
back on message
Find ways to get on the media ala a
political campaign
Develop relationships with foreign
reporters
Censorship & self-censorship
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Complete control of the media, arts,
education in totalistic regimes (North
Korea, Islamist schools)
Self-censorship of thought
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Rote-like chanting of responses to political
and other questions
Outside thought is from “imperialist”
Americans who want to control the world
Counters to censorship
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Create alternative communication channels if
need be
Find alternative sources for message other
than US (exiles, local clerics, friendly regimes)
Point out small but important hypocrisies as
opposed to frontal attacks
Remember: Any dissent is better than no
dissent in breaking the censorship spell
Some Positive Influence
Tactics for Creating
Democratic Persuasion
Goals of democratic influence
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Ralph K. White in 1952: “candor, respect for
the target of the communication, and assure
others that US is not belligerent or
domineering”
Listen to the other to find out how they think
and feel (RFE gathered extensive info on
audience)
Not just “brand America” (positioning) but
relationship marketing – create trust
Build self-confidence of target that democracy
can be accomplished as a counter to
frustration
Getting attention and building
rapport
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Establish physical means of communication
Embedded message within communications
that attract attention and begin to establish
trust
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Entertaining (RFE’s rock ‘n roll in Hungary)
News (RFE’s news about the target country)
Advocate for those abused by dictator &
demagogue (RFE’s criticism of abusive
communists)
Provide information, dialog, debate that cannot be
obtained elsewhere
Building trust
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Be perceived as empathetic, warm, and genuine
Conspicuous candor – admit mistake as “yes but”
Get the target to do a favor for you
Agree with the target (when you can)
Show liking for the target
Don’t seem perfect (pratfall effect)
Constant praise loses its effect (gain-loss)
Reciprocating self-disclosures
Limit perceptions of self-serving motives
Don’t lie. Actions = words.
The altercast
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Altercasting is placing the target in the role
needed to produce influence
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Inadvertently place others in negative social
roles
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Expert snare & tidy 5th graders
“We are here to help” (implies dependency)
Bully-coward
Select role sets that promote positive
relationship
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Friends
Democratic citizens
Self-generated persuasion
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The most effective influence tactic is to have
the person persuade him or herself
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Lewin’s sweetbread study
Examples of use
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Marshall plan had participants come up with own
rebuilding plan to obtain grants
Ask target to come up with own plan for a
common goal with US
Set expectations for
confidence building
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Expectations determine perceptions of
success and thus confidence
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Goebbels and lowering expectations
Give people realistic expectations of
what can be accomplished and then
meet and exceed those expectations
Create pro-American action
involvement
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Find small things that people can do to begin
the foot-in-the-door process
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Exchange programs; help an American
Identify small objectives to create selfefficacy
Equal status contact with a superordinate
goal
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Jigsaw classroom
The Marshall plan
Goals for democracy
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Co-participation of citizens to discover
solutions (not predetermined by elite)
System of checks & balances on power
Decentralized communication structures
Flexible group boundaries
Minority opinion encouraged (toleration)
Agenda & goals set by citizens
Persuasion as debate, discussion, & argument