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Psyops and Perception Management

Psyops and Perception Management. Perception Management. Information operations that aim to affect perception of others to influence Emotions Reasoning Decisions Actions. Related to Psychological Operations Influence behavior by affecting human Psyche (fear, desire, logic, etc.).

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Psyops and Perception Management

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  1. Psyops and Perception Management

  2. Perception Management • Information operations that aim to affect perception of others to influence • Emotions • Reasoning • Decisions • Actions Related to Psychological Operations Influence behavior by affecting human Psyche (fear, desire, logic, etc.)

  3. Injecting Content into Target’s Information Space • Targeted population • Communication medium • Any medium that can be exploited • Face-to-face, print, telecommunication, internet, etc. • Real time, broad audience (television, video, etc.)

  4. Covert Action • “…attempt by one government to pursue its foreign policy objectives by conducting some secret activity to influence the behavior of a foreign government or political, military, economic, or societal events and circumstances in a foreign country.” (Silent Warfare)

  5. Covert • Total secrecy: details or even the existence of activities are confidential • Unaccounted: actions are public knowledge but government involvement is concealed • Goal: direct furthering of national foreign policy objectives • Wide range of activities: • Radio Free Europe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Europe/Radio_Liberty

  6. Perception of a Foreign Government • Goal: change foreign government’s policy to support offense’s political interest • Influence • Foreign government’s perception • Perceptions of elements of foreign society

  7. Agents of Influence • Influence directly government policy • Data collection is not necessary • Persuade colleagues to adopt certain policies • E.g., government officials • 1930-40s: Soviet intelligence agents working for U.S. government (Harry Dexter White – Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of Treasury), https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol49no1/html_files/harry_dexter_8.html

  8. Agent of Influence • Trusted contact – willing to work for a foreign government, no detailed instructions, not paid • Controlled agent – receives precise instructions, usually paid • Manipulated agent – unaware of serving a foreign government

  9. Use of Information and Disinformation • Providing information (or misinformation) • Influence a desired action • E.g., revealing identities of opponents’ intelligence agents • Origin of information • Sender of information • Misinformation • Plausible • “silent forgery” • “deception operation”

  10. Perception of Foreign Society • Hard to measure • Cumulative effect over long period of time • Agents of Influence • Interact with public – journalists, TV commentator, etc. • Prominent person – political figure, aid organization, etc. • Culture

  11. Unattributed Propaganda • “Black” propaganda: origin is concealed • Disseminating opinions, information or misinformation via media • Government may not be directly associated with materials • Increase believability • Government may not want to be associated with certain opinions

  12. Unattributed Propaganda • “Gray” propaganda: origin not public knowledge • E.g., Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty • Information about targets’ own countries • Information about the West • Set up as private U.S. organizations but were run by CIA • Planting stories in independent news media

  13. Global vs. Local Propaganda US WW I. posters, http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm US WW II posters, http://www.allposters.com/-st/World-War-II-Propaganda-Vintage-Art-Posters_c50710_.htm Chinese posters, Cultural Revolution, http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-07.php

  14. Offensive Operations • Information Space • Communication Medium: any (TV, radio, Internet, Web sites, e-mail, news groups, etc.) • Target: individuals, groups, nations, World

  15. Internet • Global Access – mass audiences • Easy to set up Web sites • Low cost (compare with broadcasting radio, TV, etc.) • “great equalizer” • Authority over Internet?

  16. Tools for Perception Management • In War and Anti-War by Alvin and Heidi Toffler: • Atrocity accusations (true or false) • Hyperbolic inflation of stakes • Demonization and/or dehumanization of enemy • Polarization (if you are not with me, you are against me) • Claim of divine sanction • Meta-propaganda (discredit opponent’s propaganda)

  17. Psyops • Affect human psyche • Goal: influence behavior • Means: fear, desire, logic, etc.

  18. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Egri_no_.jpg

  19. Lies and Distortions • Widely used • Destroys the integrity of the carrying media • Cultural Differences? • Ethical/unethical? • Bad/Useful? • Digital media • Fabrication, spoofed originator, modification, etc. • Easy to carry out • Trust in observation (senses: see, hear, touch, taste, etc.)

  20. Distortion • Distort information • Conscious/Unconscious • Important elements ignored, down played • Insignificant elements made to appear important • Digital media: • Web page metatags: hidden data

  21. Fabrication • Fake information • Must seem legitimate • Goal: influence decision/activities of enemy or competition, financial gain, popularity, etc. • Can be very effective • Must know target • Errors and intentional fabrications

  22. Hoaxes • Fabrications to • Amuse • Create fear • Discredit/damage • Digital media: • Easy to send hoax mail or post information • Virus hoaxes

  23. Social Engineering • Trick people into doing something they would not do if the truth is known. • Means: • Impersonating • Threatening • Pretend position/relationship/urgency/etc.

  24. Denouncement • Discredit, defame, demonize, or dehumanize an opponent • Goal: gain of support for the entity performing the denouncement and loss for the adversary • Military/politics/economy/personal • Hate groups • Conspiracy theory • Defamation: damage the reputation and good name of another

  25. Harassment • Targets opponent directly • Unwanted, threatening messages • Communication: in person, via medium • Examples: • Physical threat • Hate mails • Sexual harassment

  26. Advertising • Scam: cone artists lure customers into scam • Fake prizes, telemarketing, etc. • Internet: easy solicitations – junk e-mail, chat room, newsgroups, Web site, etc. • Spam: junk e-mail • Time consuming: read/process/delete • Unwanted/useless/harmful data

  27. United State Restrictions • First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: freedom of speech and press • Exception: child pornography, offensive and harmful speech, obscene material, etc. • Materials depicting violence ? • 1996: Communications Decency Act (US congress) • Indecent material – restricting access to minors • Controversial – civil liberties groups • 1997: Supreme Court ruled that CDA sections 223 and 224 abridged First Amendment rights

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