Brainwashing, also known as indoctrination or conditioning, is a strategic form of manipulation. Indoctrinators draw on a range of tactics in order to implant ideologies and behaviours in individuals and groups. The Initial aim is to instil feelings of uncertainty and gain compliance to small and apparently insignificant demands. Once these strategies have been successful in accessing the individual psyche, an indoctrinator then attempts to:

Shape behaviour using rewards and punishments;
Induce feelings of helplessness;
Induce feelings of low worth and even humiliation;
Induce feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear.
Ideologies are then implanted by indoctrinators through the repetition of slogans, usually preceded by alternating periods of anxiety and relaxation. Once the individual is engaging in his or her own indoctrination, the indoctrinator and his followers become the sole source of human attention or approval - and hence control. This is easily achieved where the implanted ideology challenges widely held social norms.

Many people believe that brainwashing is something which takes place within obscure religious cults. In fact, all major organisations - religious and secular, include significant cultish elements within them. The prevalence of cult-like organisation and belief is a consequence of the common human desire for certainty, the need to 'fit in', and the common tendency to interpret experiences in terms of feelings.

These needs, desires and tendencies are unremarkable facets of everyday human experience. We want to feel sure the person we are marrying really loves us. We need to hold a baby close when it cries. We want friends who like us. We want to feel our lives are worthwhile. However, professional manipulators play upon these fundamental needs and desires, in order to convince us to buy, agree or behave according to their particular agendas.

The arguments and ideas put forward here are no more than a very simplistic introduction to the subject of mind control. The aim is to provoke thought. However, knowing about a problem is not sufficient to understanding or solving it. Serious study takes time, and effort. Nevertheless, it has been suggested a well-developed sense of humour often provides a remarkable antidote to people whose claims don't always match their intentions or actions!


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B. Latane and J .M. Darly (1970) 'The Unresponsive Bystander' Prentice Hall
S. Milgram (1997) 'Obedience to Authority' Pinter & Martin
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D. Winn (2000) 'The Manipulated Mind' Octagon Press