Report of the APA Task Force on Deceptive and Indirect Techniques of Persuasion and Control by Margaret Thaler Singer, et al.

Abstract

Cults and large group awareness trainings have generated considerable controversy because of their widespread use of deceptive and indirect techniques of persuasion and control. These techniques can compromise individual freedom, and their use has resulted in serious harm to thousands of individuals and families. This report reviews the literature on this subject, proposes a new way of conceptualizing influence techniques, explores the ethical ramifications of deceptive and indirect techniques of persuasion and control, and makes recommendations addressing the problems described in the report. (Read Abstract

Excerpt:

Educative/therapeutic and advisory/therapeutic methods of influence are classified under the choice-respecting mode of influence, which emphasizes effectively communicating one's message while persuasive/manipulative and controlling/destructive methods are classified under the compliance-gaining mode, which emphasizes obtaining the desired response from the influences.

Figure 1

I n c r e a s i n g L e v e l s o f I n f l u e n c e

Mode of Influence Method of Influence Techniques Choice-respecting (emphasis on message) Educative/Therapeutic - Reflection - Clarification - Discussion - Information giving - Directed questioning - Creative expression Advisory/Therapeutic - Commenting on problem or alternatives - Suggesting ideas or solutions - Recommending solutions - Rational argument: message oriented - Hypnosis (some forms) Compliance Gaining (emphasis on response) Persuasive/Manipulative - Rational argument: compliance oriented - Emotional appeals - Compliance tactics: consistency, reciprocation, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity (see Cialdini, 1985) - Gross deceptions - Hypnosis (some forms) Controlling/Destructive - Isolation from social supports - Selective reward/punishment - Denigration of self and of critical thinking - Dissociative states to suppress doubt and critical thinking - Alternation of harshness/threats and leniency/love - Control oriented guilt induction - Active promotion of dependency - Debilitation - Physical restraint/punishment - Pressured public confessions

Further Study:

Dr. Margaret T. Singer's 6 Conditions for Thought Reform

These conditions create the atmosphere needed to put a thought reform system into place:

This table is from Cults in Our Midst:

Table 3.2. Continuum of Influence and Persuasion

	Education	Advertising	Propaganda	Indoctrination	Thought Reform
Focus of body of knowledge	Many bodies of knowledge, based on scientific findings in various fields.	Body of knowledge concerns product, competitors; how to sell and influence via legal persuasion.	Body of knowledge centers on political persuasion of masses of people.	Body of knowledge is explicitly designed to inculcate organizational values.	Body of knowledge centers on changing people without their knowledge.
Direction & degree of exchange	Two way pupil-teacher exchange encouraged.	Exchange can occur but communication generally one-sided.	Some exchange occurs but communication generally one-sided.	Limited exchange occurs, communication is one-sided.	No exchange occurs, communication is one-sided.
Ability to change	Change occurs as science advances; as students and other scholars offer criticisms; as students & citizens evaluate programs.	Change made by those who pay for it, based upon the success of ad programs by consumers law, & in response to consumer complaints.	Change based on changing tides in world politics and on political need to promote the group, nation, or international organization.	Change made through formal channels, via written suggestions to higher-ups.	Change occurs rarely; organization remains fairly rigid; change occurs primarily to improve thought-reform effectiveness.
Structure of persuasion	Uses teacher-pupil structure; logical thinking encouraged.	Uses an instructional mode to persuade consumer/buyer.	Takes authoritarian stance to persuade masses.	Takes authoritarian & hierarchical stance.	Takes authoritarian & hierarchical stance; No full awareness on part of learner.
Type of relationship	Instruction is time-limited: consensual.	Consumer/buyer can accept or ignore communication.	Learner support & engrossment expected.	Instruction is contractual: consensual	Group attempts to retain people forever.
Deceptiveness	Is not deceptive.	Can be deceptive, selecting only positive views.	Can be deceptive, often exaggerated.	Is not deceptive.	Is deceptive.
Breadth of learning	Focuses on learning to learn & learning about reality; broad goal is rounded knowledge for development of the individual.	Has a narrow goal of swaying opinion to promote and sell an idea, object, or program; another goal is to enhance seller & possibly buyer.	Targets large political masses to make them believe a specific view or circumstance is good.	Stresses narrow learning for a specific goal; to become something or to train for performance of duties.	Individualized target; hidden agenda (you will be changed one step at a time to become deployable to serve leaders).
Tolerance	Respects differences.	Puts down competition.	Wants to lessen opposition.	Aware of differences.	No respect for differences.
Methods	Instructional techniques.	Mild to heavy persuasion.	Overt persuasion sometimes unethical.	Disciplinary techniques.	Improper and unethical techniques.

References:

1. Lifton, R.J. (1961). Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. New York: W.W. Norton. (Also: 1993, University of North Carolina Press.)

2. Lifton, R.J. (1987). Cults: Totalism and civil liberties. In R.J. Lifton, The Future of Immortality and Other Essays for a Nuclear Age. New York: Basic Books.

3. Lifton, R.J. (1991, February). Cult formation. Harvard Mental Health Letter.

4. Hunter, E. (1951). Brainwashing in China. New York: Vanguard.

5. Schein, E.H. (1961). Coercive Persuasion. New York: W. W. Norton.

6. Singer, M.T. (1987). Group psychodynamics. In R. Berkow (Ed.). Merck Manual, 15th ed. Rahway, NJ: Merck, Sharp, & Dohme.

7. West, L.J., & Singer, M.T. (1980). Cults, quacks, and nonprofessional psychotherapies. In H.I. Kaplan, A.M. Freedman, & B.J. Sadock (Eds.), Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry III, 3245-3258. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.

8. Ofshe, R., & Singer, M.T. (1986). Attacks on peripheral versus central elements of self and the impact of thought reforming techniques. Cultic Studies Journal. 3, 3-24.

9. Singer. M.T. & Ofshe, R.(1990) Thought reform programs and the production of psychiatric casualties. Psychiatric Annals, 20, 188-193

10. Ofshe, R. (1992). Coercive persuasion and attitude change. Encyclopedia of Sociology. Vol. 1, 212-224. New York: McMillan.

11. Wright, S. (1987) Leaving Cults. The Dynamics of Defection. Society for the Scientific Study of religion. Monograph no. 7, Washington, DC.

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