A message can sound true just because its source looks authoritative. Some famous experiments in the 60’s showed just how psychologically powerful authority is, revealing that over two thirds of normal adults will unwillingly hurt someone just because an authority figure says to. Knowing how persuasive authority can be reminds us that God, not man, must be our authority.
Up Next in S5: Propaganda
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The Power of Conformity
Is a message true because many people seem to think so? Logic says no, but psychology shows that popular opinion is incredibly persuasive. Research reveals that a third of students will give a wrong answer to an easy question, just because everyone else does. People are also less likely to think ...
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The Power of Repeated Messages
Repeating a lie can’t make it true, but repetition is sure an effective propaganda technique. Here are some studies that illustrate the incredible persuasive force of repetition, powerful enough to make people call a dubious statement true—even if they originally knew it was false. Amazingly, the...
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Emotions and Persuasion
Emotions are powerful persuasive forces, but when do appeals to emotion become fallacies? God created us with great emotional capacities, but in our fallen world, emotions can be used to mislead us to believe wrong or illogical ideas. Propaganda often involves strong emotional appeals, and resear...
