Psychological warfare: concept, methods, means and goals

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Modern wars are fought according to completely different rules than those waged by our ancestors. Yes, and they bring much more destruction, since they often begin much earlier than people realize it. In a world dominated by technology and the media, psychological warfare has become the most acceptable method of struggle. It seems to some ordinary people that this concept primarily applies to third world countries where poverty and lawlessness reign, and has practically nothing to do with the civilized society of Western countries.

However, such a statement has no basis, because we are all subject to certain influences, which may well be part of an information-psychological operation. This is how most wars are fought today, starting with a long and careful work of the secret services. Their goal is the emergence of riots, the overthrow of the ruling elite, undermining the economy, which ultimately leads to real military action. If it seems to you that all this belongs to the category of fiction, then read our article. Perhaps after that terms like"propaganda" and "psychological warfare" will become much clearer to you.

Explaining the concept

Psychological warfare is often talked about a lot. This term is often used by politicians, journalists and the military. The media even try to intimidate the townsfolk, using it with or without reason. So what exactly is psychological warfare? Should I be afraid of her? And how to understand that it is already underway? We will try to answer all these questions in the article, but now let's turn to the terminology.

People in general do not even imagine that the term can have two meanings. They are similar in many respects, but still have certain differences in nuances that significantly change the wording itself.

So, from the point of view of professionals, psychological warfare is understood as an activity of a certain direction, organized by the special services of one state and directed at the civilian population and military units of another. This activity is characterized as a psychological impact, and its main goal is to achieve the set military and political objectives. Interestingly, the understanding of professionalism in this kind of war is very blurred. High-level specialists are suitable for them, corresponding to the three main selection parameters:

• possession of scientific knowledge in the required field;
• availability of special training;
• practical experience of psychological treatment and influence on people.

Start similarwar without the sanction of the head of state is impossible; in countries with a solid legislative base, this rule is clearly observed. However, in states where there are problems with the legislature, psychological warfare can be started by certain groups. For example, industrialists or political groups. They take control of the sources of information and begin to act in every way to achieve their goal.

Even the ancient Chinese mastered the methods of psychological influence. One of the philosophers in the sixth century BC outlined them in his treatise. He singled out twelve basic methods that should have unambiguously led to victory. These included: discrediting all the achievements of the enemy in his country, involving political leaders in illegal activities, undermining the prestige of the ruling elite, establishing contacts with criminal elements capable of anything to get money, and so on.

In a simpler, philistine sense, psychological warfare is a kind of spontaneous phenomenon. It is expressed in the use of all the mechanisms of verbal communication by some groups against others in order to subdue them or create special conditions for their existence. War has existed in this form since the dawn of mankind. However, for many centuries in the process of conducting it, mainly direct communication was used. The influence was through the word, gestures, facial expressions and emotions. Today, methods of psychological influence are more diverse. This is facilitated by the accumulated experience and specially developedmass control technology.

Often we talk about psychological warfare in situations that have absolutely nothing to do with it in reality. In such cases, the term acquires a certain worldly meaning. For example, it is often used when it comes to election campaigns, confrontation between ethnic groups, or the negotiation process of competing organizations.

Combining these two concepts, we can conclude that the combination of various methods, forms of influence and technologies on people is psychological warfare in the broadest sense of the word. However, do not forget about its intended purpose. The goal of psychological warfare is always to change people's worldview, values, motivation, and other psychological characteristics. Influence can be exerted on a certain group of citizens or society as a whole in order to completely change the mood of the masses.

The process of conducting psychological warfare in different countries: features

Today, in almost any state, there is a continuous process of uniting certain forces in order to achieve political, ideological or military goals. Moreover, the cultural and historical traditions of the country leave a serious imprint on this process.

In some states, psychological impact is taken very seriously. Special units are being formed to conduct information-psychological warfare. Personnel selection in them is quite tough: employees are trained in various programs, master secret techniques of subordinationmind and receive special equipment. Such units can operate in almost any conditions, while directing their knowledge by order from above, they can both on their own people and on citizens of another country. Most often, these units are part of the structure of the armed forces. Similar parts existed in the Soviet Union, and today they are present in the USA and China, for example.

Other countries choose a different way of waging psychological wars. They also create special structures, but they find active use in everyday life. By order of the leadership, they perform tasks for national security purposes. In their hands are effective propaganda materials, thanks to which the set propaganda and ideological tasks are solved. This practice is widely used in European countries (Great Britain, France, and so on).

In a number of states, the psi factor is used everywhere. Each source of mass media, regardless of its affiliation - state or commercial, is headed by a qualified specialist who owns propaganda techniques and successfully implements them in their activities. A similar approach is typical for Indonesia and the Philippines, for example. That is, we can say that modern wars are endless and are primarily psychological.

Let's turn to history: a few facts

It is difficult to fully comprehend the potential scope and destruction of psychological warfare without looking at history. How much isdangerous? Since ancient times, military propaganda has been considered the best way to demoralize the enemy. All the great generals mastered this art to perfection. It is known that even Genghis Khan, before setting off on his next campaign, spread rumors about a powerful new weapon that was impossible to resist. So did Hannibal and the Persian king Xerxes.

It is noteworthy that the campaign material is not always chosen correctly, and a mistake may well cost the victory. The clearest illustration of this statement is the war between Spain and England in the sixteenth century. The Spaniards, planning to defeat the enemy at sea, distributed a leaflet to discredit the royal family, where they discredited the honor of the queen. According to their plans, the indignant people were to rise up against their government, which would hasten the victory of the Spaniards. However, the British loved their queen so much that they were deeply indignant at the slander against her. As a result, even those who were in opposition to the royal family stood up to defend the country. Spain suffered a shameful defeat in this war.

As you can see, psychological warfare is no easy task. It requires great sophistication and practical skills. Today, the special services of different countries are very actively engaged in this issue, improving their methodological base.

Methodology

The theory and practice of processing mass consciousness in psychological warfare is necessarily studied by specialists of special units. The process of managing people and changing their consciousness has already risen to the level of science, and therefore has its ownmethods. In the classic version, there are four of them:

• psychological aids;
• military assets;
• sanction system;
• political means.

We will tell you a little more about each method.

Influence by psychological means

If we are talking about the influence exerted on the masses within the country by the government, then it can be carried out at the expense of the media. They promote patriotism, create a positive image of the government, form priorities that are pleasing to the state. In parallel, a psychological impact on the same people by the forces of the enemy is possible. He seeks to introduce opposing ideas, to create a decadent mood among the masses, to give the impression of a failed economic and political measures taken by the government. As a result, this leads to a certain degree of moral fatigue. The people begin to get confused in motives, and the level of morale decreases. This technique is effective on the eve of any armed conflict.

Military assets

This method is actively used today by the USA. In their practice, it is considered the norm to show the enemy their combat power in order to demoralize him and get what he wants. For example, the government can send a flotilla of warships to the shores of another state or place missiles on the border. Once upon a time, the Soviet Union also used military means for the purpose of psychological influence. An example is the Caribbean crisis caused by the deployment of nuclear warheads in Cuba as close as possible to the United States.

Sanction Machine

The economy of each state is closely interconnected with other countries. Therefore, it is possible to undermine the forces of a potential adversary by the consistent introduction of economic and trade sanctions. This method is very effective in relation to the countries of the so-called third world. They immediately reduce the level and quality of life, increase mortality and the percentage of morbidity, there are problems with food and domestic difficulties. Naturally, this generates discontent among the masses, resulting in street demonstrations and calls for the overthrow of the government.

Political methods of influence

This technique is considered one of the most difficult, as it requires serious preparation and virtuosity of performance, achieved by experience. There are many forms of such influence. For example, a prepared demarche of opposition to the government or banned organizations. It can provoke a serious confrontation between political currents and groups among themselves.

Types of impact

Psychological warfare involves the widespread use of different types of influence. Of course, none of the country's special services will reveal their secrets, but still there is some unity among specialists in the classification of these species:

• information-psychological;
• psychogenic;
• psychoanalytic;
• neuro-linguistic;
• psychotronic;
• psychotropic.

The types of psychological impact we have listed have their own characteristics and are designed to perform certain tasks.

Information-psychologicalimpact on the consciousness of the individual

This option is used everywhere, because the impact itself occurs through ordinary words and information, which means it can be applied to all segments of the population.

Goals and objectives of this type of impact are set as widely as possible. People must form different political views from the existing ones, change their ideology, and have new beliefs that can cause violent emotions. Thanks to this, the psyche of the masses becomes mobile, and ordinary emotions, if necessary, can be transformed into certain reactions.

In its simplest form, the information-psychological impact looks like a leaflet. It is the mechanism that is designed to shake the confidence and calmness of the enemy, causing in him a very strong emotional reaction of a positive or negative nature. In this way, you can raise the patriotic spirit, or, conversely, cause panic among the civilian population or in the military ranks.

Psychogenic impact

It takes good equipment, training, scientific knowledge and practice to apply this type. There are two ways to make such an impact:

• Through a real physical impact on the brain of a person. As a result, disturbances occur in the functioning of the nervous system, which also changes mental activity. You can achieve the desired result by injuring the individual. For example, a traumatic brain injury knocks a person out of action for a long time, and in many cases becomes a causedisability. But when we talk about influence within the framework of psychological warfare, then such an approach is ineffective, since it is designed to incapacitate specific people. Therefore, experts use the impact on the masses of sound, light, a certain color combination or changes in temperature. As a result, physiological reactions completely change mental activity and emotional coloring both in one person and in a large number of people.
• Through shock. Often, pictures of death and destruction put even a prepared person into a stupor. He may become lost in space and panic, and in the future he will need specialized help to return to reality and lead a normal life, making rational decisions.

One of the most effective methods of psychogenic influence used by special services is very often color. It has been proven that the right color scheme on leaflets, for example, can lead to the desired psycho-emotional state, regardless of its informative component. The main thing in this matter is to take into account the type of the human nervous system and the cultural traditions of the ethnic group. Indeed, in different peoples, the same color can cause completely opposite reactions. Let's take white. Among Western peoples, it is associated with tenderness and purity, but among the Japanese and some other Asian peoples, it symbolizes death. Therefore, specialists in the preparation of psychological warfare and psychogenic influence try to study all cultural characteristics and traditions from the inside.opponent.

Psychoanalytic influence

Specialists who can influence a person's subconscious and put certain attitudes into it exist in every special services of the world. They work in different ways, but always achieve good results. Most often, in the process of influence, hypnosis, suggestion in the phase of deep sleep, as well as techniques that allow you to put the necessary information into the consciousness of waking people are used. A special skill is the ability to suppress the psychological resistance of the masses and influence them, correcting their behavior in accordance with the laid down program.

The trigger for correction can be words, images, pictures, sounds, and even scents. An experienced specialist can put almost any information or style of behavior into the subconscious and activate them at the right time.

Neurolinguistic Impact

Popularly, this method is known as neuro-linguistic programming and is the introduction of certain programs into the mind of an individual. This is a rather complex process, consisting of several stages. It is built on the internal contradictions of a person, which cause discomfort in him. And here the psi factor plays a very important role. A specialist in the field of neurolinguistic programming identifies these contradictions, then literally pulls them out of the subconscious and reinforces the whole range of unpleasant sensations caused by internal conflict. Against the background of the weakening of the protective functions of the body, it very easily introduces newbehavioral programs. As a result, a person completely changes his attitude to life, his beliefs, sets priorities differently and generally becomes different.

It is interesting that in the process of this influence, a person almost independently sets new programs for himself, but does it under the control of a specialist, which significantly reduces the possibility of their rejection by consciousness.

Psychotronic influence

Most often it is carried out for the masses, since the programming method itself was originally designed for large crowds of people. Psychotronic influence implies obtaining a result through the transfer of information at an unconscious level.

This category can include the work of psychics, the notorious "25 frame" and dowsing installations, for example. All these methods have one mechanism of action - they enable the body to receive information without passing it through consciousness. Thus, it goes straight to the brain and affects the nerve endings.

Today, the creation of psychotronic weapons is a priority in the work of secret scientific laboratories of each state. It is believed that its creation will instantly change the balance of power in the world and lead to a third world war.

Psychotropic influence

It turns out to be various medicines, chemical or biological substances. Moreover, they can be of both natural origin and synthesized in laboratories. For example, the drug "Bi-zet" is well known in narrow circles. Hecapable of turning an organized group of people into an uncontrollable crowd capable of any crime in a few seconds.

Some experts synthesize and combine various smells that can affect people in a certain way. For example, one of the options for such an action is successfully used by marketers in shopping centers: the smell of fresh pastries provokes a desire to go to a cafe and dine, and the aroma of citrus fruits cheers you up and contributes to big money spending. The same principle is also used to induce a feeling of disgust in a whole battalion of soldiers or bouts of vomiting.

Biological substances can also reduce the enemy's morale. Based on them, mixtures are created that can, for example, dissolve the road surface or destroy the iron structures of buildings and bridges.

In conclusion, I would like to say that so far not a single government in the world knows how to resist psychological influence. Special services are simultaneously working on the creation of new technologies to demoralize the enemy and protect their own population. However, even employees of top-secret laboratories cannot be sure that there will be a winner and a loser in an extended psychological war.