Mass Psychology

Britney loves her husband. He's kind, sweet, and an upstanding citizen. He usually does everything with a moral compass, except for that one time when he killed a group of people. That was simply a stability slip. He pled insanity and served his time in a mental institution.

The impact of media coverage on victims and communities following a mass shooting cannot be understated. The intense and often sensationalized reporting can have lasting effects on those directly affected by the tragedy. For the seven children injured in the Indiana mass shooting, the constant barrage of news coverage can trigger feelings of fear, anxiety, and even re-traumatization. It is crucial for media outlets to consider the psychological well-being of these victims when reporting on such tragedies.

In this classic of political and social psychology, Joost Meerloo attempts to account for the mechanisms of mind that have made the brainwashing techniques of totalitarian states so historically successful. His frightening conclusion, that "hardly anyone can resist," appeals to mechanisms undergirding human thought, many of which are not obviously available to individuals.