How does brainwashing work?

 

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How does brainwashing work?

(Question originally posted on Quora)

This is a complex issue but definitely worth exploring. The vast majority of people don't understand even the slightest bit about how "brainwashing" works. 

The general public has some understanding, but far more confusion and ignorance than knowledge and understanding. 

A lot of great research has been done to examine the reality.

Dictionary. com has the following:

brainwashing

or brain-wash·ing, brain wash·ing

[ breyn-wosh-ing, -waw-shing ]

See synonyms for brainwashing on Thesaurus.com

---

noun

a method for systematically changing attitudes or altering beliefs, originated in totalitarian countries, especially through the use of torture, drugs, or psychological-stress techniques.

any method of controlled systematic indoctrination, especially one based on repetition or confusion:brainwashing by TV commercials.

an instance of subjecting or being subjected to such techniques:efforts to halt the brainwashing of captive audiences. End quote.

This is a good start. We can see that ANY effort towards "systematically changing attitudes or altering beliefs," through "any method of controlled systematic indoctrination, especially one based on repetition or confusion" fits this. 

In other words it may be "classic" brainwashing as carried out in prisoner of war camps and involving imprisonment and torture or it may include "new" style brainwashing and involve more covert persuasion (meaning that deception and hidden psychological manipulation occur, rather than overt or open manipulation).

I believe that several experts have done remarkable work in analysis of how brainwashing works. I am going to give several relatively brief examples of models that in my opinion both define brainwashing and explain how it is carried out in detail. 

I am also going to list several experts and references on the topic for anyone interested.

First off I want to present the eight criteria for thought reform by Robert Jay Lifton.

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism

The University of North Carolina Press/Chapel Hill and London
By Robert Jay Lifton, M.D.

Below is an edited excerpt from Chapter 22 of Robert Jay Lifton's book,"Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of 'Brainwashing' in China." Lifton, a psychiatrist and distinguished professor at the City University of New York, has studied the psychology of extremism for decades. He testified at the 1976 bank robbery trial of Patty Hearst about the theory of "coercive persuasion." First published in 1961, his book was reprinted in 1989 by the University of North Carolina Press. Scroll down to the read the chapter. First I will give you an abridged description. Dr. Robert J. Lifton's Eight Criteria for Thought Reform Milieu Control.  This involves the control of information and communication both within the environment and, ultimately, within the individual, resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large. Mystical Manipulation.  There is manipulation of experiences that appear spontaneous but in fact were planned and orchestrated by the group or its leaders in order to demonstrate divine authority or spiritual advancement or some special gift or talent that will then allow the leader to reinterpret events, scripture, and experiences as he or she wishes.  Demand for Purity.  The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and strive for perfection.  The induction of guilt and/or shame is a powerful control device used here.  Confession.  Sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group.  There is no confidentiality; members' "sins," "attitudes," and "faults" are discussed and exploited by the leaders.  Sacred Science.  The group's doctrine or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute.  Truth is not to be found outside the group.  The leader, as the spokesperson for God or for all humanity, is likewise above criticism.  Loading the Language.  The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand.  This jargon consists of thought-terminating cliches, which serve to alter members' thought processes to conform to the group's way of thinking.  Doctrine over person.  Member's personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group.  Dispensing of existence.  The group has the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not.  This is usually not literal but means that those in the outside world are not saved, unenlightened, unconscious and they must be converted to the group's ideology.  If they do not join the group or are critical of the group, then they must be rejected by the  members.  Thus, the outside world loses all credibility.  In conjunction, should any member leave the group, he or she must be rejected also.  (Lifton, 1989)

I have the long version of this at Mockingbird's Nest blog in the post entitled: 

Dr. Robert J. Lifton's Criteria For Thought Reform

I also want to present

Professor Margaret Singer the late great cult expert wrote her own highly authoritative work in this field: Cults in Our Midst. In this, Prof. Singer set out 'six conditions' in which totalistic thought-reform can be achieved:
Quote :
1).Keep the person unaware of what is going on and how attempts to psychologically condition him or her are directed in a step-by-step manner.Potential new members are led, step by step, through a behavioural-change program without being aware of the final agenda or full content of the group. 

The goal may be to make them deployable agents for the leadership, to get them to buy more courses, or get them to make a deeper commitment, depending on the leader's aim and desires.

2). Control the person's social and/or physical environment; especially control the person's time.

Through various methods, newer members are kept busy and led to think about the group and its content during as much of their waking time as possible.

3). Systematically create a sense of powerlessness in the person.This is accomplished by getting members away from their normal social support group for a period of time and into an environment where the majority of people are already group members.The members serve as models of the attitudes and behaviours of the group and speak an in-group language.Strip members of their main occupation (quit jobs, drop out of school) or source of income or have them turn over their income (or the majority of) to the group.

Once the target is stripped of their usual support network, their confidence in their own perception erodes.As the target's sense of powerlessness increases, their good judgement and understanding of the world are diminished (ordinary view of reality is  destabilized).

As the group attacks the target's previous worldview, it causes the target distress and inner confusion; yet they are not allowed to speak about this confusion or object to it - leadership suppresses questions and counters resistance.This process is sped up if the targeted individual or individuals are kept tired - the cult will take deliberate actions to keep the target constantly busy.

4).Manipulate a system of rewards, punishments and experiences in such a way as to inhibit behaviour that reflects the person's former social identity.Manipulation of experiences can be accomplished through various methods of trance induction, including leaders using such techniques as paced speaking patterns, guided imagery, chanting, long prayer sessions or lectures, and lengthy meditation sessions.The target's old beliefs and patterns of behaviour are defined as irrelevant or evil.Leadership wants these old patterns eliminated, so the member must suppress them.Members get positive feedback for conforming to the group's beliefs and behaviours and negative feedback for old beliefs and behaviour.

5).The group manipulates a system of rewards, punishments, and experiences in order to promote learning the group's ideology or belief system and group-approved behaviours.

Good behaviour, demonstrating an understanding and acceptance of the group's beliefs, and compliance are rewarded while questioning, expressing doubts or criticizing are met with disapproval, redress and possible rejection. Anyone who asks a question is made to feel there is something inherently disordered about them to be questioning.The only feedback members get is from the group; they become totally
dependent upon the rewards given by those who control the environment.

Members must learn varying amounts of new information about the beliefs of the group and the behaviours expected by the group.

The more complicated and filled with contradictions the new system is and the more difficult it is to learn, the more effective the conversion process will be.

Esteem and affection from peers is very important to new recruits. Approval comes from having the new member's behaviours and thought patterns conform to the models (members). Members' relationship with peers is threatened whenever they fail to learn or display new behaviours. Over time, the easy solution to the insecurity generated by the difficulties of learning the new system is to inhibit any display of doubts—new recruits simply acquiesce, affirm and act as if they do understand and accept the new ideology.

6).Put forth a closed system of logic and an authoritarian structure that permits no feedback and refuses to be modified except by leadership approval or executive order.The group has a top-down, pyramid structure.

 The leaders must have verbal ways of never losing. Members are not allowed to question, criticize or complain. If they do, the leaders allege the member is defective, not the organization or the beliefs.

The targeted individual is treated as always intellectually incorrect or
unjust, while conversely the system, its leaders and its beliefs are always automatically, and by default, considered as absolutely just. Conversion or remolding of the individual member happens in a closed system. As members learn to modify their behaviour in order to be accepted in this
closed system, they change—begin to speak the language—which serves to further isolate them from their prior beliefs and behaviours. End quote

Alexandra Stein wrote the superb book, Terror, Love and Brainwashing that in my opinion offers a much needed examination that incorporates ideas from attachment theory, the work of Hannah Arendt and elements of psychology usually not considered or broken down in fine detail for the layman. 

I wrote the series How Cults Work at Mockingbird's Nest blog on this book and highly recommend the entire series for anyone who wants to dig deep into the details of the subject. 

I should list Jon Atack as the top expert on Scientology, a cult that probably has the most extensive and complex brainwashing program ever devised. It's no exaggeration to say that literally hundreds of hypnotic techniques are integrated into Scientology, as Scientology founder Ronald Hubbard was a trained hypnotist and plagiarized hundreds of ideas then filed off the serial numbers, repackaged them as his own original creations, then attempted to use them to fool, defraud, and ultimately mentally enslave his followers.

By studying this and its component parts extensively Jon Atack has become a top expert on hidden persuasion, also known variously as undue influence, unethical influence, covert persuasion and brainwashing among other names.

The names describe different types or definitions for at heart the same thing, our original broad definition of brainwashing. 

Jon Atack has written several excellent books and many online articles and has his own YouTube channel with many superb videos on the topic. He has an extensive catalog of his own. 

To compliment the superb Terror, Love and Brainwashing I also recommend Traumatic Narcissism by Daniel Shaw. In this book Shaw focuses on the dynamics of the relationship between a cult leader and a follower, offering unique insight into how brainwashing is at play in this dysfunctional relationship. 

If you asked me what two books best described how brainwashing works I would say these two are the best I have seen. 

Regarding the reality of brainwashing and the fact that governments use it we have most of the work of Robert Jay Lifton including the classic Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. 

For something documenting the more recent efforts by the Canadian, Russian, American, and British governments we have Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Control by Dominic Streatfeild. 

In it he describes the techniques they use in horrifying and gruesome details. 

One example is the method reportedly used in Russia. Called "The Conveyor" this method of torture involves rotating teams of interrogators. The men have a subject in an uncomfortable position, perhaps standing with his arms and legs wide out, to create intense discomfort. The subject may be subjected to constant darkness or blinding light.

In any case, not a moment's peace or relief is allowed. By having teams rotate in and work together, then after several hours rotate out, never leaving the subject unattended, the conveyor breaks the mind of the subject. 

After using this it was reported that only one subject did not break. The man was determined to have been a sociopath BEFORE the interrogation began. 

This concurs with research described by William Sargant in his book Battle For The Mind. Sargant described the process of men suffering mental deterioration after several months in combat. But he noted that one type of man doesn't get affected by combat over months in this way, sociopaths. 

I hope this is a useful introduction to the subject of brainwashing and I have hundreds of articles on brainwashing at Mockingbird's Nest blog on Scientology.