CT Scan: Critical Thinking Scan
Hallmarks of “Brainwashing” Environments
Season 6, Episode 3
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26-Nov-2020
What features do classic brainwashing environments have in common? Robert Lifton, the psychiatrist who first described communist “thought reform” by interviewing prisoners of the Korean War, identified eight brainwashing hallmarks. Let’s take a look, to better recognize potential “thought reform” in culture today.
Up Next in S6: "Brainwashing"
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Recognizing “Brainwashing” Messages
How can you recognize messages promoted by “brainwashing,” or subversive one-sided indoctrination, in today’s culture? Here are some questions you can ask, based on the 7 Checks of Critical Thinking, to discern instruction versus indoctrination in everyday messages.
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Resisting “Brainwashing” Conditions
“Brainwashing,” defined as one-sided indoctrination, can be harder to resist in environments that hamper critical thinking. Classic brainwashing conditions include poor nutrition, isolation, and sleep deprivation, which students may unwittingly experience at university. Here are research-backed t...
