PROPAGANDA THEORIES:Origin of Propaganda, Engineering of Consent, Behaviorism

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Theories of Communication MCM 511

LESSON 10

PROPAGANDA THEORIES

In today's session we will see:

· How the idea of Propaganda emerged in the mass society and mass media relationship.

· And then look the theories that were developed to understand and control it as these were

the first true media theories earlier within the mass society theory media was seen as one of

the disruptive forces.

Propaganda Theories

But in propaganda theories, media became the focus of attention. Propaganda theorists specifically

analyzed media content and speculated about its influence. They sought to understand and explain the

ability of messages to persuade and convert thousands or even millions of individuals to extreme

viewpoints.

In the beginning of the 20th century traditionalist elite propagandists had TWO alternatives:

· The American way stood for truth justice and freedom.

· Totalitarianism communism and Nazis- falsehood, evil and slavery---- Of course they had

their own versions of truth justice and freedom.

Initially Americans resisted the propaganda for it violated the most basic rules of fair democratic

political communication - for propaganda freely used lied and deception to persuade- what they believed

in was that people should be taught to critically evaluate propaganda messages, then they will be able to

reject them as unfair and false. They believed that public education could save democracy. But

optimism faded as both communism and Nazism spread from Europe to America in 1930s. So

propaganda experts became convinced that even if public education was a practical means of resisting

propaganda, it would simply take too long. Time was running out. Propaganda must be resisted by

whatever means possible so if the power of the propaganda could be harnessed to promote good and just

ideals that would just not counter the threat but have a tool that could help build a better social order

white propaganda.

Origin of Propaganda

Term originated in the 16th century during the counter-Reformation. Used by the Society for the

Propagation of the Faith- The term has since come to refer to the no-holds-barred use of communication

to propagate specific beliefs and expectations ultimate goal is to change the way people act e.g. in

World War I Nazi Germany's propaganda division said the secret to effective propaganda is to simplify

a complex issue and repeat that simplification over and over again.

Effective propaganda is covert. Disinformation- false information to discredit the opposition.

Black propaganda deliberate and strategic transmission of lies.

White propaganda intentional suppression of potentially harmful information and ideas, combined

with deliberate promotion of positive information or ideas to distract attention from problematic events.

Grey propaganda involves transmission of information or ideas that might or might not be false.

Engineering of Consent

The totalitarian propagandist conceptualized as a very practical means of mass manipulation an

effective mechanism for controlling large populations so that the dominant majority came to have and

act upon certain beliefs and attitudes.

Propagandists typically held elitist and paternalistic views about their audiences. They believed that

people needed to be changed for their own good.

They believed that people were so irrational or so illiterate so in-attentive that it was necessary to

coerce, seduce or trick them into learning bits of misinformation.

They also believed in suppressing opposition

Theories of Communication MCM 511

Three Theories That Influenced the Propaganda Theories In 1930s

1. Behaviorism

2. Freudianism

3. Magic bullet theories

Behaviorism

John B. Watson - an animal experimentalist who argued that all human action is merely a conditioned

response to external environmental stimuli. Media provides external stimuli that triggered immediate

responses.

Freudianism

Sigmund Freud, pioneer of this theory, stated that Ego is rational mind is in control. Id is the dark side

of the self- the egocentric,(selfish and self-centered) pleasure seeking part of the ourselves- that Ego

must struggle to keep in control

Ego relies on the internalized set of cultural rules the Superego- for guidance.

Caught between the primitive Id and the overly restrictive Superego, the Ego fights a losing battle when

the Ego loses control to the Id, Hysteria or worse results and when the Superego becomes dominant and

the Id is completely suppressed, people turn into unemotional, depressed social automatons that simply

do what others demand.

Propaganda theorists used Freudian theory to develop propaganda. It would be most effective if it

appeal directly to the Id and stimulate it to overwhelm (overpower) the Ego or through effective

propaganda efforts the cultural rules (Superego) moved the self in the direction of the Id. So people

were seen as individuals incapable of rational self control. People were seen as highly vulnerable to

media manipulation- media stimuli and the Id could trigger action that the Ego and the Superego were

powerless to stop.

Magic Bullet Theories

In the 1920s Media was assumed to operate like magic bullets that penetrated people's minds and

instantly created associations between strong emotions and specific concepts. By carefully controlling

these magic bullets, propagandists felt that they could condition people associate good emotions, such as

loyalty and reverences with their own country and associate bad emotions, such as fear and loathing

with their enemies.

These theorists thought that rational mind was a mere façade, incapable of resisting powerful messages.

It happened in Germany, Japan, Russia and Italy. In October 1938 H. G Wells War of the Worlds

LASSWELL'S PROPAGANDA THEORY

He combined behaviorism and Freudianism into a particularly pessimistic vision of media and their role.

Propaganda was not so much the result of the substance or appeal of specific messages but rather the

result of the vulnerable state to mind of average people. He argued that economic depression and

escalating political conflict had induced widespread psychosis (hang up, obsession)and this made people

susceptible to even crude forms of propaganda he rejected simplistic magic bullet theory .He believed

that people need to be slowly prepared to accept radically different ideas and actions. Communicators

need a well developed long-term, campaign in which new ideas and image are carefully introduced and

then cultivated symbols must be created and people to associate specific emotions with these symbols. if

these cultivation strategies are successful, they can be referred to as Master symbols so Master

symbols are associated with strong emotions and possesses the power to stimulate beneficial large-scale

mass action if they are used wisely.

He envisioned a long and quite sophisticated conditioning process. Exposure to one or two extremist

messages would not likely have significant effects. For successful social movements gain power by

propaganda master symbols over a period of months and years using variety of media. He proposed that

that power to control delivery of propaganda through the mass media would be placed in the hands of a

new elite a scientific technocracy that would be pledged to using its knowledge for good rather than evil

Theories of Communication MCM 511

Hence it became the foundation for numerous official efforts to improve and spread democracy at

agencies such as VOA and US information Agency.

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