Transcript A Closer Look at the Depths of Persuasion

Propaganda
A Closer Look at the
Depths of Persuasion
What is propaganda?
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Webster’s definition:
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“… the spreading of ideas,
information, or rumor for the purpose
of helping or injuring an institution, a
cause, or a person”
The Goal of Propaganda
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The goal of propaganda is to
get you to accept a point of
view or take some action.
Characteristics of Propaganda
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Facts are distorted or
misrepresented
Opinions are disguised
Appeals to people’s emotions by
using emotional language,
stereotypes, and/or exaggerations
Types of Propaganda
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Glittering Generalities
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Words or phrases most people associate
with virtue and goodness that are used to
trick people into feeling positively about a
subject
Examples of common words: democracy,
values, family, moral, motherhood,
education
“This law will make the country more safe
for democracy.”
Glittering Generalities
Glittering Generalities
Types of Propaganda
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Bandwagon Appeal
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The idea that “everyone else is doing
it, and so should you!”
Makes people feel inferior if they do
not conform
“Get on board!” “Don’t be left out!”
“Everybody loves…”
Bandwagon
Types of Propaganda
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Plain Folks Appeal
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Speaker attempts to convince their
audience that they, and their ideas,
are “of the people”
Used by advertisers and politicians
Purpose is to attract the majority
Example: Clinton and McDonald’s
Plain Folks
Types of Propaganda
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Repetition
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Bombards an audience with a
message
Based on the stimulus-response
learning theory
Repetition
Types of Propaganda
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Fear Appeal
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Propagandist warns members of
audience that disaster will result if
they do not follow a particular course
of action
Propagandist plays on fears in order
to redirect attention away from the
particular proposal and toward steps
that can help to reduce the fear
Fear
Types of Propaganda
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Testimonial
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A statement, usually given by a
famous person or someone with
firsthand experience, that supports a
product, candidate, or policy
Suggests that a famous person’s
opinions must be right or that a
product must be excellent if a famous
person endorses it
Testimonial
Testimonial
Types of Propaganda
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Snob Appeal
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Stresses the “uniqueness” of an idea
or product in order to make the
product more attractive to a
particular group of people
“Sophisticated Shampoo for
Sophisticated Women”
Snob Appeal
Types of Propaganda
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Name calling
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Links a person to a negative image or
symbol
Propagandist hopes audience will
reject the idea/product based on their
association of it with a negative
image instead of looking at the
available evidence
This is the opposite of Glittering
Generalities
Name Calling
Types of Propaganda
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Cardstacking
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Only the good points (or the bad points of
a competitor) are given
By showing you all the positives (or all the
negatives), you are expected to agree with
the propagandist
Types of Propaganda
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Transfer
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The propagandist attempts to carry
over the authority or prestige of
something we respect or revere to
something they would have us accept.
Symbols are often used
Advertising uses this frequently
Transfer
Types of Propaganda
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Scientific Slanting
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Also called “Facts and Figures”
Uses phrases such as “Doctors
recommend…” or “Most doctors
prefer…”
Scientific slanting
Types of Propaganda
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Word magic
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Naming a product or idea in such a
way as to make it sound exciting!
At the same time the competing
products/ideas are presented as not
as good
“Oil of Olay” vs. “plain lotion”
Types of Propaganda
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Direct Order
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Oldest and simplest way of
advertising
The product or idea is shown and
people are told to use it or agree to it
“Buy U.S. Savings Bonds”
Questions?
Practicing
Propaganda Analysis
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In your group, read/review the
examples of propaganda I have
given you.
Then, discuss and decide as a
group what types of propaganda
you see in your example.
On a sheet of notebook paper,
provide examples from the text
supporting your answer.