brainwashes
Forces belief change
Brainwashes is the verb form of brainwash, meaning to systematically pressure someone into abandoning their beliefs and adopting new ones.
The term originated with Cold War accounts of prisoners subjected to intense psychological manipulation.
Now it's used more loosely for any heavy-handed persuasion: That cult brainwashes its members, Advertising brainwashes kids into wanting junk food.
Implant fixed beliefs
- inculcateImplant by persistent urging
- radicalizeConvert to extreme ideology
- conditionState or stipulation
- programPlanned sequence of actions
catechize · instill · dogma · doctrine · convert · reeducate · deprogram · cult
Control through clever influence
- coerceObtain by intimidation
- deceiveCause false belief
- misleadCause false belief
- gaslightDistort someone's reality
dupe · hoodwink · bamboozle · beguile · trick · exploit · groom · seduce
Learned behavioral adaptation
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- behaviorismPsychology studying observable conduct
- psycheTotal mental life
- suggestibilityReadiness to accept influence
hypnosis · subliminal · repetition · reinforcement · mental · dissociation · compliance · obedience
Control through superior strength
- subjugateBring under dominion
- overpowerDefeat by superior force
- suppressForcibly put an end to
- captiveOne held by force
hostage · prisoner · follower · acolyte · devotee · unquestioning · subservient · obedient
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- newspeakPropagandistic distorted language
censorship · fabrication · falsehood · lies · state-controlled · mythmaking · partisan · politicized
indoctrinate
Implant fixed beliefs
- inculcateImplant by persistent urging
- radicalizeConvert to extreme ideology
- conditionState or stipulation
program · catechize · instill · dogma · doctrine · convert · reeducate · deprogram · cult · sect
manipulate
Control through clever influence
gaslight · dupe · hoodwink · bamboozle · beguile · trick · exploit · groom · seduce · subvert
conditioning
Learned behavioral adaptation
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- behaviorismPsychology studying observable conduct
- psycheTotal mental life
suggestibility · hypnosis · subliminal · repetition · reinforcement · mental · dissociation · compliance · obedience
dominate
Control through superior strength
captive · hostage · prisoner · follower · acolyte · devotee · unquestioning · subservient · obedient · compliant
disinformation
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- spinRapid rotation around axis
newspeak · censorship · fabrication · falsehood · lies · state-controlled · mythmaking · partisan · politicized · messaging
brainwashesdeprograms
Undoes psychological conditioning
liberates · frees · emancipates · enlightens · disillusions
brainwash, brainwashing, brainwashed, brainwasher, brainwashers, brainwashable