Do you believe in the POWER of SUGGESTION, that if you say something enough, people will believe it?

Question

And do you use that POWER to help or to injure?

Answer 1

Yes...GO CARDS!!!...

Answer 2

Yes, people would much rather just believe someone than think for themselves. Elizabeth Loftus did much work in this area. There was a study she did on crime scene witnesses.

She staged a car accident witnessed by many people in a room. She found that if one person insisted that one of the cars was white, other people would believe it, too, even when no white cars were involved. Someone speaking from authority can easily sway others, even when that authority doesn't exist in reality.

If I use this "power", it is usually not done consciously. I really try to stick to the honest truth as I know it. If I think I'm right, that might sway other people to think what I do. It is not intentional, though. That's just a natural human characteristic.

Answer 3

Yes and the most powerful forms are the most insidious. The big lies work. The small lies that are the use of words together in a sentence, the assumption of a given in a debate, those are the most effective. The ones that fly under the radar of most people.
If a statement is made over seven times then people start to believe. If you present two choices that are extremes then offer a moderate choice most people will choose the moderate choice, so if you move the extremes you shift what people consider moderate.

I try to use my limited knowledge for good.

Answer 4

Yes I believe, A good example is the war in Iraq and the Bush administration that gave many reasons for attacking Iraq. Each disputed lie was re-inforced with another lie. The lies were repeated enough that now not only does country forget the original lie, but some think Muslims in Iraq want to take over the world. This of course was never true and still isn't true.

Each time a reason is disputed the Bush administration tells another more bizarre lie and repeats it until Americans cannot distinguish what is true and what is made up, so they simply cave in to their fears and hatred.

That's how repetition works. Another example is product advertisements.

I abhor lies, they mostly hurt and they make me crazed so I try not to tell lies at all. I use re-enforcement to improve self esteem (mine or those who are close to me).

Answer 5

I do believe that, and it is also a proven fact. It can happen with pictures viewed as well. They have done this (until it was illegal) at movie theatres to make people hungry or thirsty, so that they would go to the concession stand. They have put subliminal messeges and pictures in the backgrounds of movies.

It is not a power, but a fact. You should do this to help, not injure or for your own benefit.

Answer 6

Yes. Psychologists have discovered that if 11% of a society believes something, within 2 generatons that item will be believed to be fact.

Ask Adolph Hitler and his buddies how that worked for an entire generation of young kids,,,,,who then died

Answer 7

We saw it with Iraq. The Whitehouse suggested there were WMDs and soon everyone believed it-I opposed the war but even I was starting to believe it. Propaganda and immoral politicians are a dangerous combination.

Answer 8

Power of suggestion is the same as hypnosis, and no I wouldn't use it to injure.

Answer 9

of course i believe it, how do u think we got religion in the first place?
People will believe almost anything if you give them an answer to life's greatest mysterys or their own problems. See the example about Hitler below? (Although I disagree about the 11% thing)

Answer 10

Seems to work for George Bush and Rush Limbaugh.

Allah knows best.

Peace and Blessings,

Salim

Answer 11

Peace...