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PROPAGANDA
TECHNIQUES
What is propaganda?
The ideas spread by
any organized
group for the
purpose of
influencing human
behavior.
How does propaganda reach you?
Newspapers
Magazines
Radio
Television
Internet
Propaganda
appeals to
An array of
Human Motives
The desire to succeed in our
ambition or career
The wish to be popular, have
friends, be “in”
The urge to marry, to be accepted
by the opposite sex or person we
romantically desire
The need to earn a living, have money to
spend
The craving to possess finer things
The desire for security
in old age
The eagerness to be
healthy and attractive
The desire to move in respectable circles
The hunger for food
How to judge
whether a statement
is true or false.
Is the writer or speaker a recognized authority in
the particular field?
Can the statement be presented as a personal
point of view or as the considered opinion of a
group?
Are there a sufficient number of cases of
sufficient evidence to justify the conclusion
drawn?
Has the truth been somewhat slanted or
deliberately distorted by means of evasions, halftruths, or omissions?
Does the statement depend on reason or solely
on emotion to appeal to reader or listener?
Is the source of the statement a reliable
corporation or individual?
Types of Propaganda
Bandwagon
It suggests an imagery vehicle carrying leaders
of a cause or a candidate who has a large
following.
It uses such phrases as:
“Everybody’s doing it!”
“Join the crowd.”
“This is the latest and best for
you.”
BIG LIE
An outrageous falsehood captures our
attention and somehow staggers some
people into believing it.
A master at propaganda for evil, Adolf Hitler,
said, “The bigger the lie, the sooner people
swallow it.”
Glittering
Generalization
• A statement that jumps from a few cases to a
conclusion that is supposed to fit all cases.
• It is called “glittering” because it is falsely
attractive.
• Using empty words without much substance such
as “best”, “new”, “#1” or to describe the benefits
or uses of something
Name Calling
This is a way of smearing an opponent. Calling
him names can damage his reputation or arouse
suspicions about his character.
Claiming that the
competition is inferior in some way
Plain Folks
This is the corny kind of appeal to the
man in the street made by identifying
either a person or a product with his
particular locality or country.
Appealing to the average, blue
collar, hard working consumers.
“I’m one of you folks, born and raised
in these mountains and I can still
shuck corn with the best of you.”
Snob Appeal
• The opposite of plain folks
• Aims to flatter those who would like to satisfy their ego by
assuming that they are better than the rest of mankind in
looks, wealth, taste, position, etc.
• Appealing to upscale dreams or ASPIRATIONS; not
necessarily an expensive product, but appealing to the rich
OR those who want to be seen that way
APPEAL TO
INDIVIDUALITY
Celebrating a unique style;
rebelling against the norm
Opposite of bandwagon
Be different!!!
Hasty
Generalization
When a claim states or implies that things
are all one way
EXAMPLES:
Women are bad drivers.
Oklahomans are Republicans.
Gay people are Democrats.
Gun owners refuse to
consider new laws that would
make our streets safer.
Scapegoat
A scapegoat is a person carrying the blame for
others.
Sometimes a failing
student
blames the
school or a teacher.
“Slogan”
A slogan is a catchword or phrase loaded
with emotion.
A type of oversimplification.
Often tells you little about
the product itself
Slogans are usually clever
and easy to remember.
Testimonial
A statement endorsing a product or an idea when signed by
a prominent person
A popular favorite carries undue weight when it is used to
sponsor something outside his particular field.
“If the famous person uses it, it must be
good!”
Transfer
This device transfers the good impression we have of something we
already know to something else that we don’t know.
By associating the two we merge our personal reactions without
examining the unknown person or thing by itself.
“Product A tastes home baked, and we know
things that are home baked are supposed to
taste better than store bought, so we will like
Product A too!”
Guilt by Association
Some charities have been fraudulent.
Therefore, charities must be frauds.
Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian.
Vegetarianism must be evil.
Osama bin Laden was opposed to the
invasion of Iraq. Anyone
opposed to the invasion of
Iraq must be a terrorist.
BEGGING THE ???
Assumes something is true when it is
in need of proof… when the claim is
included in the evidence so nothing is
proved
–Since I'm not lying, I must be telling
the truth.
–Roger Drudge's book on politics is
the best; it says so inside.
RED HERRING
SLIP SLIDE… DISTRACTION… SMOKE
When a rebuttal doesn't address the
question and/ or draws attention away from
the central issue in an argument or discussion
From the practice of distracting hunting dogs (usually in
Fox Hunting) by dragging a smelly, salt-cured Red
herring across the trail of the animal/fox they were
pursuing to throw the hounds off the scent.
EXAMPLE:
Q: Did the President have an affair?
A: "He's very busy at the moment with the Middle East Peace talks, and
has no time for silly accusations. If this bill isn’t signed within the
next 12 hours a whole country could lose it’s way of life. Do you
want a whole country of men, women, and children to suffer? Do
you hate foreigners? Do you hate children?
Straw Man
Attacking an opponent's weaker argument rather
than his strongest OR ignoring a person's actual
position and substituting a distorted, exaggerated
or misrepresented version instead.
EXAMPLE:
Many who are for abortion like its
convenience. But this is a human life
we're talking about, and people need to be
concerned with more than convenience.
"Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack
submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can't understand
why he wants to leave us defenseless like that."
Card Stacking
A one-sided case presents only evidence favoring its conclusion, and
ignores or downplays the evidence against it. In inductive reasoning, it is
important to consider all of the available evidence before coming to a
conclusion.
Example:
1. You have observed several white swans; then you might conclude:
2. All swans are white.
Example:
You've spoke about having seen the children's prisons in Iraq. Can
you describe what you saw there? The prison in question is at the
General Security Services headquarters, which was inspected by my
team in Jan. 1998. It appeared to be a prison for children—toddlers up
to pre-adolescents—whose only crime was to be the offspring of those
who have spoken out politically against the regime of Saddam Hussein.
It was a horrific scene. Actually I'm not going to describe what I saw
there because what I saw was so horrible that it can be used by those
who would want to promote war with Iraq, and right now I'm waging
peace.
Source: Massimo Calabresi, "Scott Ritter in His Own Words", Time,
9/14/2002
LOGICAL
FALLACIES
Faulty Dilemma
When only two options are given when
many choices exist
COLLEGE
SONIC
Either you're for the Republican plan, or
you're socialist and un-American.
Equivocation
Using the same word with two different
meanings
EXAMPLES:
1. A feather is light.
2. What is light cannot be dark.
3. Therefore, a feather cannot be dark.
The sign said "Fine for Parking Here," so since it
was fine, I parked there.
Liberal politicians favor a liberal lifestyle of free
love and drugs.
Non sequitur
Latin for “it does not follow”
The conclusion does not follow
from the argument
EXAMPLE:
“If my hair looks nice, all people will love me."
However, there is no real connection between
your hair and the love of all people.
Advertising typically applies this kind of
'deduction'.
Ad Hominem
Latin for “argument against the person”
An attempt to negate the truth of a claim
by pointing out a negative characteristic or
belief of the person supporting it.
EXAMPLES
1. Einstein claims relativity is correct.
3. Hence relativity is false.
2. Einstein is Jewish
Bill: "I believe that abortion is morally wrong."
Dave: "Of course you would say that, you're a priest."
Bill: "What about the arguments I gave to support my position?"
Dave: "Those don't count. Like I said, you're a priest, so you have to
say that abortion is wrong. Further, you are just a lackey to the
Pope, so I can't believe what you say."
THE
POSTHOC
PENGUIN
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Latin for “after this, because of that”
Often shortened to POST HOC
If one event happens after another, then the first
must be the cause of the second.
EXAMPLES:
1. A rooster always crows prior to sunrise
2. Therefore: the rooster’s crowing causes the sun to rise.
1. Ice cream sales elevate greatly each June.
2. The number of common colds lower greatly each June.
3. Therefore: higher ice cream consumption cures the
common cold.
Euphemism
Making something sound better than it is. Using
a synonym that is a better sounding term than
the reality.
Ex. A police officer was asked why he left the
police force. His response was, “The chief and I
had a difference of opinion.” In actuality, the
officer was fired.
Ex. Gasoline prices are expected to be adjusted
to match our economic status. In other words,
gas prices are going up dramatically as the
economy is going down.
IN TOTAL…22 Types of
Propaganda
1. Bandwagon
12. Transfer
2. Big Lie
13. Guilt by Association
3. Glittering
14. Begging the Question
Generalization
4. Name Calling
5. Plain Folks
6. Snob Appeal
7. Individual Appeal
8. Hasty Generalization
9. Scapegoat
10. Slogan
11. Testimonial
15. Red Herring
16. Straw Man
17. Card Stacking
18. Faulty Dilemma
19. Equivocation
20. Non-Sequitur
21. Ad Hominem
22. Post-Hoc
23. Euphemism