"The authors analyze the various tactics people use to get us to comply; point out ways we might deal sensibly and effectively with propaganda; and examine persuasion in a context of argument and debate. The authors' quarrel with persuasive communication today is that, rather than using logical argument, it uses emotional symbols to manipulate us. Advertisers, for example, use short, catchy, visually oriented messages to get us to buy things we might not need." Book Description Everyday we are bombarded by messages telling us what to buy, where to go, whom to vote for, and how to think. Age of Propaganda is a brilliant, often witty, analysis of our message-laden world. Drawing on the history of propaganda, advertising, and modern research in social psychology, it takes an in-depth look at the use and abuse of persuasion in daily life. Completely revised and updated, this new edition covers such recent events as the O.J. Simpson trial, recent election campaigns, the rise of talk radio, the false memory syndrome controversy, and cult tragedies such as David Koresh. With a new chapter on how to protect yourself from unwanted propaganda, Age of Propaganda reveals how manipulative messages work, how to deal with them sensibly, and how to use the tactics of persuasion wisely and effectively. Reviews and Commentary From Library Journal: Psychologists Pratkanis and Aronson present a thorough overview of how individuals and the mass media manipulate us using devious persuasive techniques. In order to understand how and why we are persuaded, the authors analyze the various tactics people use to get us to comply; point out ways we might deal sensibly and effectively with propaganda; and examine persuasion in a context of argument and debate. The authors' quarrel with persuasive communication today is that, rather than using logical argument, it uses emotional symbols to manipulate us. Advertisers, for example, use short, catchy, visually oriented messages to get us to buy things we might not need. Pratkanis and Aronson skillfully summarize research findings from the field of social psychology to illustrate their points. While a large portion of the book is devoted to advertising techniques, the authors also examine media coverage of the Gulf War, cult leaders, and political elections. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. From Wendy Grossman - New Scientist: There is a nice debunking thread running through this book. The breakfast cereal in the solid-looking brown box with 'natural' plastered all over it is, in some cases, less nutritious than the cereal in the pink box covered with little stars. And then there are factoids: things that are widely believed but are not true. . . . What really concerns the authors, though, is persuasion in all its forms, from the rhetoric taught by the Greeks to the propaganda of the Nazi state. Along the way, they . . . draw examples from all parts of American life. . . . The author's idea is that . . . if we know how persuasion works, perhaps we can resist some of it. . . . But they themselves know, ironically, that they're fighting a losing battle.
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