Include the question you are answering at the beginning of the posting. If you notice that several people have answered a particular question, try to answer a different one. The more different discussion topics we have, the better.
Here are the questions for Week Four:
1. What is the difference between Mindless versus Mindful Persuasion? Provide examples of each and talk about how this form or persuasion is achieved. What are the lasting effects of each type of persuasion?
2. Cults are strong persuasive groups that indoctrinate people via various methods. Watch the following 10-minute video that discusses how cults work (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxJyfqeaKU8&feature=related). Discuss the common elements of cults as detailed by the video. In researching this topic, are there any other characteristics that are effective in cults, which were not discussed in the video?
3. Pick a form of propaganda (there are several examples in the chapter) and discuss the context of the time it was implemented. What did the propaganda entail? Was the propaganda effective or not? Finally, discuss the elements of persuasion that were considered when developing and implementing the propaganda.
4. How do the concepts of group polarization and groupthink play into the capital insurrection that occurred in early January 2021? Are there other group influencing concepts that may play into people’s decision to storm the capital of the United States?
5. This is a very broad questions so try to keep your response contained, but how are we affected by the presence of others? Incorporate various topics from the chapter and other research into your response.
6. Define the group behavioral terms of social-loafers and extra-milers. How do these behavioral tendencies develop? What does the research say about these two types of people? Are there certain personality characteristics discussed in the research about individual people or even within the group dynamics that foster people acting in such a fashion?
