Propaganda and Persuasion: Psychology's Use in Intelligence August 2, 2006

"Do not believe everything you read in the newspapers." - Soviet Ambassador to the U.N. Nikolai Federenko regarding the death of Oleg Penkovsky!

Was JFK killed by the CIA? Did AIDS originate in a lab in Maryland? You may have been persuaded that these rumors were true. Ever since Aristotle developed the first scientific perspective on persuasion, people have sought to understand how most effectively to influence the opinions, beliefs, and behaviors of others. Soviet intelligence is notorious for its program of "active measures" - an array of covert and overt operations including propaganda-used to influence another country's policies and actions.

In this enlightening discussion, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini, a psychologist at Arizona State University, will present an overview of the psychological research on communication, persuasion, propaganda, and social influence, including information on how to effectively sway the opinions of others; and Dr. Thomas Boghardt, historian at the International Spy Museum, will survey some of the most fascinating and successful uses of propaganda and active measures in modern history. He will also discuss some recent events which may seem suspicious to the "unpersuaded".

Co-sponsored by the Foundation for the Advancement of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the American Psychological Association.

Tickets: $12 - Foundation for the Advancement of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Members of The Spy Ring (Join Today!): $10 - Space is limited - advance registration required!

Official Website: http://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/2006_08_02_prog.asp