Propaganda
Institute for Propaganda Analysis (IPA)
ABCs of propaganda
The “ABCs” of propaganda analysis included the following:
- A - Who is the Author?
- Identify who is responsible for creating or disseminating the message. Consider their background, motivations, and potential biases.
- B - What is the Purpose?
- Determine the goal of the message. Is it to inform, persuade, entertain, or influence public opinion? What does the author hope to achieve?
- C - What are the Techniques?
- Identify the specific propaganda techniques or rhetorical strategies used in the message. This could include the tricks of the trade like Name-Calling, Glittering Generalities, or Bandwagon.
- D - Who is the Audience?
- Consider who the message is intended for. Who is the target demographic, and how might they be influenced by the message?
- E - What is the Content?
- Analyze the actual content of the message. What is being said, and how is it structured? Look at the words, images, and symbols used.
- F - What are the Effects?
- Reflect on the potential impact of the message. How might it affect individuals, groups, or society as a whole? What are the short-term and long-term effects?
- G - What is the Context?
- Examine the broader context in which the message appears. What are the social, political, and economic conditions surrounding the message?
These questions encouraged people to think critically about the information they encountered, helping them to separate propaganda from more objective, fact-based communication. The IPA’s emphasis on these analytical tools was part of its broader mission to promote media literacy and equip the public with the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly changing information landscape, particularly during a time of widespread propaganda use in the lead-up to World War II.
Tricks Of Trade (or Propaganda Devices)
The IPA identified several common techniques used in propaganda to manipulate public opinion. These “tricks of the trade” were meant to help people spot deceptive or manipulative messaging. Some of the most well-known techniques include:
- Name-Calling: Attaching a negative label to a person, group, or idea to discredit it without providing evidence or engaging with the actual argument.
- Glittering Generalities: Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases that sound good but have little substantive meaning, like “freedom,” “democracy,” or “justice.”
- Transfer: Associating a respected or trusted symbol (like a national flag or religious symbol) with something the propagandist wants to promote.
- Testimonial: Having a well-known or respected person endorse a product, idea, or cause, which can lend it credibility regardless of the actual merits.
- Plain Folks: Trying to convince the audience that the speaker or cause is aligned with the everyday concerns of ordinary people.
- Card Stacking: Selectively presenting facts or information to support a particular conclusion, while ignoring or downplaying opposing evidence.
- Bandwagon: Encouraging people to follow the crowd or join in because “everyone else is doing it,” appealing to the human desire to be part of the majority.
The work of the IPA was influential in shaping how educators, journalists, and the public approached media literacy and critical thinking. Although the Institute dissolved in 1942, its legacy lives on in the field of media education and the study of propaganda.