Activity 4, Propaganda
Name calling -- attacks person or group of people
Glittering generalities -- uses undefined phrases that have positive emotional appeal to the audience
Testimonials -- persons to whom we have respect or esteem are introduced as supporters
Just plain folks -- promotes neighborly intimacy
Slogans -- short phrases used to short-circuit thinking and promote particular action
Non-sequitur -- the conclusion does not necessitate the premise
Appeal to prestige -- action will secure or maintain prestige
Repetition -- believe because we have heard it so often
Wishful thinking -- believe a proposition because a person wants it to be true
Inconceivability -- belief is false because a person can't conceive it to be true
Tabloid thinking -- oversimplify complex theories, etc.
Emotional terms -- term that arouses feelings in favor or against an object
Rationalization -- citing lofty reasons that probably have fewer creditable grounds
Causal oversimplification -- a complex event is explained as due to one or two causes, when in reality many causes are responsible
Prejudice -- unwillingness to examine fairly the evidence and reasoning about the thing, person or idea which is the object of the prejudice
Metaphor and Simile -- a metaphor is a comparison implied but not stated; a simile is a comparison stated explicitly with connecting words "as" or "like"
Vagueness -- doubt as to the scope of particular words or phrases
Return to Activity 4.
Go to the Contents page for International Conflict and the Media.
Go to the Bibliography.