Mass Psychology

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.

We are influenced by the world we live in and people can manipulate us and convince us to do something we don't want. Dark psychology is the study of manipulative, coercive, and persuasive techniques developed for the sole purpose of controlling the minds and behavior of other people. Psychology plays an important role in every aspect of our lives, from how we are raised and perceive the world to how we develop ways in which we interact with others and behave.