Manipulating public opinion: the why and the how

Manipulating public opinion: the why and the how




For citation:

Bernays E.L. Manipulating public opinion: the why and the how. – Polis. Political Studies. 2012. No. 4. P. 149-159. (In Russ.)



Abstract

Public opinion is amenable to manipulation, yet it is worthwhile to keep in mind that by teaching the public to obtain the desired, the “manipulator” defends it against its own aggressiveness. In the study of the public opinion at large, the methods of experimental psychology do not prove to be as efficient as the methods of introspective psychology. To be able to form, and to alter public opinion, it is necessary to comprehend people’s motives, to be aware of the interests they have at the moment, and to understand very well the functions – as well as to perceive the scantiness of the physical means of access to the public – of such facilities as radio, tribunes, cinema, letters, newspapers and so on.

Keywords
public opinion; manipulation; leaders; technique; cliche.


Content No. 4, 2012

See also:


Bernays E.L.,
Engineering of consent. – Polis. Political Studies. 2013. No4

Bezvikonnaya Ye.V.,
Systemico-Synergetic Model of a Political System. – Polis. Political Studies. 2009. No3

Klimova S.G., Yakusheva T.V.,
Politicians’ Images in Russians’ Accounts. – Polis. Political Studies. 2000. No6

Rabotyazhev N.V., Solovyov E.G.,
From Lenin towards Danilevsky: Metamorphoses of Geopolitical Views of the CPRF. – Polis. Political Studies. 2007. No2

Tumskiy S.V.,
Political Provocations in the Electoral Debates of U.S. Presidential Candidates. – Polis. Political Studies. 2021. No6


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