Difference between revisions of "Soft power"

From Wikispooks
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(theory of "learning")
m (→‎Negative reinforcement: aka aversive conditioning)
Line 22: Line 22:
 
The threat of a loss '''after''' an undesired behavior happened. Punishment is less effective - it is forseeable and the effectiveness depends on the willingness of the subject to endure pain. It is obviously coercive and the threatening party is likely seen as cruel or "bad".   
 
The threat of a loss '''after''' an undesired behavior happened. Punishment is less effective - it is forseeable and the effectiveness depends on the willingness of the subject to endure pain. It is obviously coercive and the threatening party is likely seen as cruel or "bad".   
  
===Negative reinforcement===  
+
===Negative reinforcement aka aversive conditioning===  
With negative reinforcement, the unpleasant stimulus occurs '''before''' the target produces the desired behavior, and discontinuation of the unpleasant, aversive stimulus (the reinforcement) depends on the compliance of the subject. This is the most powerful and deceptive method. By gradually introducing pain (i.e. face masks, etc.), the mark or public reacts much like the boiling frog reacts to the rising temperature. Mostly unaware of the suffering, the promise of even the slightest release drives a powerful unconscious need to surrender. Moreover, the surrender might be falsely perceived or portrayed as voluntary.  
+
With negative reinforcement, the unpleasant stimulus occurs '''before''' the target produces the desired behavior, and discontinuation of the unpleasant, aversive stimulus (the reinforcement) depends on the compliance of the subject. This is the most powerful and deceptive method. By gradually introducing pain (i.e. face masks, etc.), the mark or public reacts much like the boiling frog reacts to the rising temperature. Mostly unaware of the suffering, the promise of even the slightest release drives a powerful unconscious need to surrender. Moreover, the surrender might be falsely perceived or portrayed as voluntary.
  
 
===Traumatic one-trial learning===   
 
===Traumatic one-trial learning===   

Revision as of 15:35, 28 May 2020

Concept.png Soft power 
(social control)Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Start1990
Founder(s)Joseph Nye
Interest ofRyan Gawn

According to H. Braker[citation needed] there are five basic ways that manipulators control their victims. All tactics either threaten a loss or promise a reward.

Five basic ways of "nudging"

The "currency" may be anything, from a soft glance, words, fear, guilt, money, food or fresh air.

Positive reinforcement

If you like what someone is doing and you want to increase the frequency and consistency of the desired behavior, you provide a reward, or positive reinforcement, for it.

Punishment

The threat of a loss after an undesired behavior happened. Punishment is less effective - it is forseeable and the effectiveness depends on the willingness of the subject to endure pain. It is obviously coercive and the threatening party is likely seen as cruel or "bad".

Negative reinforcement aka aversive conditioning

With negative reinforcement, the unpleasant stimulus occurs before the target produces the desired behavior, and discontinuation of the unpleasant, aversive stimulus (the reinforcement) depends on the compliance of the subject. This is the most powerful and deceptive method. By gradually introducing pain (i.e. face masks, etc.), the mark or public reacts much like the boiling frog reacts to the rising temperature. Mostly unaware of the suffering, the promise of even the slightest release drives a powerful unconscious need to surrender. Moreover, the surrender might be falsely perceived or portrayed as voluntary.

Traumatic one-trial learning

This method of controlling behavior is the proverbial “hand on a hot burner” event. In other words, you do not need a second experience to learn to keep your hands away from a hot burner if you have experienced a painful burn once. 9-11 is a typical example of such shock programming. In the moment of shock, the brain accepts messages from "caregivers" as facts in a very suggestible mood.

Intermittent or partial reinforcement

In this powerful variant, ambiguous, chaotic and unpredictable stimuli are used - in addition to 1-4 - to create feelings of helplessness, passivity, and dependence in the victim. A simple example is the slot machine or now-and-then treatment.


 

Examples

Page nameDescription
Social control
Social engineeringThe calculated influencing of society on a large scale, often over a long term.

 

Related Quotations

PageQuoteAuthorDate
"Continuity of Government"“It's important that the UN and WHO remain very clear, but when they challenge governments directly, they often get into this issue of sovereignty. (...) I think it's really critical to think about soft power influence, which is other influentials, who can call up the head of state, or powerful constituencies within those countries. We've seen this in the context of mobilizing religious leaders in the context of polio, or specific business leaders where you can soften perhaps a very hard line from government through less more stealthy entry points, rather than trying to punish them (...)”18 October 2019
Brussels Forum/2014“The ultimate soft power instrument in the world is the Brussels Forum”Carl Bildt2014
DitchleyDitchley is one of the hidden gems of the Transatlantic relationship... its role as a clearing house for ideas; a forum for debate and discussion; and a magnet for policymakers gives it a unique status. It is the intellectual expression of 'soft power' and a tribute to the pre-eminence of reason and rational debate."”John Major
Event 201“It's important that the UN and WHO remain very clear, but when they challenge governments directly, they often get into this issue of sovereignty. And so I think it's really important not to have that as the only response. I think it's really critical to think about soft power influence, which is other influentials, who can call up the head of state, or powerful constituencies within those countries. We've seen this in the context of mobilizing religious leaders in the context of polio, or specific business leaders where you can soften perhaps a very hard line from government through less more stealthy entry points, rather than trying to punish them through the International Health Regulations or something like that.”18 October 2019
Anthony Fauci“I feel confident that over a period of time we will get a good vaccine, that we will never have to get back to where we are right now.”Anthony Fauci8 April 2020
Social controlHow Do You Get Manipulated? Manipulative relationships depend on activating one (or both) of two principal human drives: gain (or reward) and loss (or avoidance). These are the two engines that drive the manipulation. Do not bother looking for anything more complicated than this: Manipulation always boils down to the promise of a net gain and/or the threat of a net loss.”Harriet Braiker2003

 

Related Documents

TitleTypePublication dateAuthor(s)Description
Document:The new mind controlarticleMarch 2016Robert EpsteinThe internet has spawned subtle forms of influence that can flip elections and manipulate everything we say, think and do
File:MindWar.pdfpaper1980Paul E. Vallely
Michael A. Aquino
Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.


References


57px-Notepad icon.png This is a page stub. Please add to it.