Synopsis

The term 'brainwashing' was first recorded in 1950, but it is an expression of a much older concept: the forcible and full-scale alteration of a person's beliefs. Over the past 50 years the term has crept into popular culture, served as a topic for jokes, frightened the public in media headlines, and slandered innumerable people and institutions. It has also been the subject of learned discussion from many angles: history, sociology, psychology, psychotherapy, and marketing. Despite this variety, to date there has been one angle missing: any serious reference to real brains. Descriptions of how opinions can be changed, whether by persuasion, deceit, or force, have been almost entirely psychological.

Reviewer: Nicholas Greco IV, M.S., BCETS, CATSM, CCRA (Abbott Laboratories)
Description: This extremely thought-provoking book examines the mystery and reality of brainwashing from both a social psychological and neuropsychological perspective. The book takes a serious and empirical stance to inform the reader from all sides.
Purpose: The purpose is to shed the necessary light on a topic which has unfortunately become parlor humor. In fact, the book proposes brainwashing to be real and worthy of scientific attention given the technological and scientific advances we have made. The book is interesting and the objectives are clear, concise, and worthy of the reader's attention.
Audience: Intended generally for those with a background in psychology, some members of the lay public may be able to benefit and find this book highly captivating. The author is a research scientist and appears highly credible.
Features: The examination of brainwashing is complex yet thorough. The historical perspectives of the Cold War, the CIA, and Communism give the reader a full circle perspective. The book examines religion, politics, advertising, media influences, the military, mental health, the legal system etc. The case examples are hard to put down and focus the reader's attention and further elaborate on the various topics of discussion. There is a strong philosophical stance that can lead to questions about freedom and autonomy.
Assessment: Quite a fascinating book whose content tends to linger long after you have put it down. Definitely a must-read for those in the social psychology field and all other psychologists interested in this area.

Biography

Kathleen Taylor is a research scientist in the physiology department, Oxford University. In 2003 she won first prize in both the THES/OUP Science Essay competition and the THES Humanities and Social Sciences Writing Prize.