Deceiving Images: The Science of Manipulation

[Wyurm]

bump, everyone needs to see this.

 

[Wyurm]

It quit on me 10 minutes in... anyone else?

I can't figure out how to get it off the site, but there are a few other links for it, though most are real player.http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/pep/pepdesc.cfm?id=3498 and click the "view the program" link. This will start a download of the video which is quite long. However, this info is invaluable, you just have to keep from puking when you notice Frank Luntz is there.

 

[tikwanleap]

Bump.

Off topic: Drew Westen looks like Mike Matusow!

 

[WilliamC]

Because if you took the time to watch the god damn thing, you'd see it's how our brain works that's the reason their propaganda works. It's human nature, as in we can't help it.

Besides, you think that there's no propaganda in news papers?

When I say a bit, I mean mainly my local newspaper for local stories. Of course you can help it. Just don't watch television. I can hardly stand to sit through a DVD movie these days, it just seems such a waste of time. I'll still go to the theater for a movie, I'm looking forward to Iron Man in March.

Sure, I'm suceptible to propaganda, but I really do question darn near everything and everybody, including myself.

 

[deedles]

finally got it to work.

Interesting subject matter.

I find Frank Luntz to be one of the most disingenuous people.... "What we need is trust in this country" he says in there and then proceeds in his professionial life to undermine the very thing. What a hypocrite. And when he laughs, his eyes don't.

Give me DRP at his stutteriest worst over this guy anyday.

The point of the video is well taken... use language as effectively as possibly.

 

[Mauiboy86]

FU FRANK!, Bump

 

[steve005]

bump

 

[paulitics]

Imagine if Iraq was called an occupation instead of a war by the media. All questions to candidates would be "do you support the occupation in Iraq?" If the truth were presented, just by changing 1 word, we would be out of there tomorrow. It would dramatically change the course of this country. The war ended when we took Bagdad. That is the dirty little secret.

 

[Enzo]

Points well taken.

It's an Occupation of Iraq. Not a War. Therefore, it's not something we can win... only something we can withdraw from sooner.

 

[freestyl24]

<>

 

[Dave Pedersen]

This awareness of the associative influence of particular words is becoming more widespread among non specialists. For instance certain phrases have developed to recognize the negative influence which words collect over time: "This word has too much baggage" or "guilt by association" "or that word has a loaded connotation".

People in general understand this principle and so do the candidates to some varying degree. The experts did not tell us anything new as far as I'm concerned except for Drew Westen, who provided three words pairs and then asked people to name a laundry detergent. There was no way anyone could forecast what association he intended to employ until he asked the question about the detergent.

He really clarified how this associative function can be deliberately used or ab-used beyond the simple avoidance of negatively loaded words. He showed how a large variety of unnoticed images and words can co opt the processing of independent conclusions to be drawn from an otherwise unimpeded default aggregate of the associative pool.

The associative pool can be manipulated by clever marketing and this as a deliberate action I think is unethical. The public agrees since every time these tactics are revealed for what they are people react with disgust. Nevertheless the rewards for success outweigh the risks of getting caught. People are so cynical and so helpless to make change all they can resolve to do if anything is to believe less and trust less every argument presented to them by any corporate message.

Consider the bookcase behind Huck and see this can and does backfire. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and people understand this also.

 

[tikwanleap]

bump

 

[AceNZ]

One of the key take-aways for me from the video is that all words, regardless of the speaker's intent, invoke a frame or context, which is then used as part of the listener's evaluation process.

I don't see this as manipulation. Rather, this sort of understanding of communication is key when you're trying to get something across to a large audience.

It applies not only to the occupation, but also to RP's other platform issues. What are some ways that the message could be polished by invoking the right frames? For example:

Abolish the Federal Reserve
--> stop the government from stealing your savings
--> eliminate the hidden tax of inflation

 

[life_is_good]

This sounds very interesting, however I can't get it to load past 3 min.
Can anyone find a transcript for this?
I've emailed them to ask for one.

 

[goldstandard]

There is a thread 'Suggestions for the campaign' and this video should be mentioned there.

RP should rephrase his arguments. He needs to speak in positive terms. He must talk about values not trying to educate the masses on issues. There is a post by someone who changed the tone of a lot of RP's arguments. This should be the number one thing the campaign must change.

We need an ad blitz with something like Reagan's "Morning in America". We need to connect to positive values in voters minds.

 

[jnpg]

good viewing- thanks to OP

 

[goldstandard]

Added to campaign suggestion box:

- connect to voters' values
- hire an expert
- rephrase arguments
- make an ad like "A morning in America" (Reagan)

 

[Richandler]

Ooooh, this looks like an interesting video!

 

[goldstandard]

Bump

 

[goldstandard]

Bump