psyops
Psychological military campaigns
Psyops is short for psychological operations—efforts to influence the attitudes, emotions, or behavior of a target audience through information, propaganda, or strategic messaging.
The term comes from military and intelligence contexts but now applies broadly to manipulation campaigns: The whole thing was a psyop to make us distrust the media.
Often used half-jokingly to suggest hidden manipulation behind ordinary events.
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- fake newsIntentionally deceptive media content
brainwashing · indoctrination · media manipulation · narrative control · echo chamber · smear campaign · rumor · hoax
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
coercion · exploitation · machination · duplicity · guile · false flag · front group · astroturfing
Organized effort toward goal
- tacticsMethods to achieve goals
- counterintelligenceDefense against enemy espionage
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- covertIntentionally concealed
clandestine · civil affairs · theater · targeting · loudspeaker · radio broadcast · force multiplier · unconventional warfare
Convincing through reasoning
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- inducementMotivating factor or offer
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- swayRock back and forth
conditioning · suggestion · priming · framing · anchoring · nudge · social proof · authority
Below threshold of awareness
- biasUnfair inclination or prejudice
- heuristicsPractical problem-solving shortcuts
- cognitive dissonanceDiscomfort from contradictory beliefs
- confirmation biasPreferring belief-supporting information
groupthink · selective attention · motivated reasoning · schema · worldview · belief systems · uncertainty · ambiguity
disinformation
Intentional deceptive falsehoods
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- agitpropPolitical art for causes
- spinRapid rotation around axis
fake news · brainwashing · indoctrination · media manipulation · narrative control · echo chamber · smear campaign · rumor · hoax · deception
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
misdirection · coercion · exploitation · machination · duplicity · guile · false flag · front group · astroturfing · fearmongering
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
- tacticsMethods to achieve goals
- counterintelligenceDefense against enemy espionage
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
covert · clandestine · civil affairs · theater · targeting · loudspeaker · radio broadcast · force multiplier · unconventional warfare · hybrid warfare
persuasion
Convincing through reasoning
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- inducementMotivating factor or offer
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
sway · conditioning · suggestion · priming · framing · anchoring · nudge · social proof · authority · compliance
subliminal
Below threshold of awareness
- biasUnfair inclination or prejudice
- heuristicsPractical problem-solving shortcuts
- cognitive dissonanceDiscomfort from contradictory beliefs
confirmation bias · groupthink · selective attention · motivated reasoning · schema · worldview · belief systems · uncertainty · ambiguity · confusion
- aggressive tacticsblitz, blitzkrieg, frontal assault, offensive, attack mode
- covert tacticssubterfuge, decoy, feint, diversion, misdirection
- disinformationdisinformation, misinformation, misinformation campaigns, fake news, astroturfing
- manipulationgaslighting, guilt tripping, blame-shifting, brainwashing, guilt trip
- propagandabrainwashing, disinformation, misinformation, indoctrination, agitprop
- opsDevOps, black ops, covert ops, special ops, field ops
psyopsconventional warfare
Armed conflict using standard military forces
direct action · boots on the ground · hot war · shooting war · bombardment
psyopsgrassroots movement
Citizen-led collective action campaign
ground truth · unvarnished truth · citizen journalism · raw footage · primary sources