Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Aspen Education Group
Aspen Seminars
Anonymous:
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/eldon.braun/awareness/
Coercive Persuasion and Attitude Change
Coercive persuasion and thought reform are alternate names for programs of social influence capable of producing substantial behavior and attitude change through the use of coercive tactics, persuasion, and/or interpersonal and group-based influence manipulations (Schein 1961; Lifton 1961). Such programs have also been labeled "brainwashing" (Hunter 1951), a term more often used in the media than in scientific literature. However identified, these programs are distinguishable from other elaborate attempts to influence behavior and attitudes, to socialize, and to accomplish social control. Their distinguishing features are their totalistic qualities (Lifton 1961), the types of influence procedures they employ, and the organization of these procedures into three distinctive subphases of the overall process (Schein 1961; Ofshe andSinger 1986). The key factors that distinguish coercive persuasion from other training and socialization schemes are
* (1) the reliance on intense interpersonal and psychological attack to destabilize an individual's sense of self
* to promote compliance,
* (2) the use of an organized peer group,
* (3)applying interpersonal pressure to promote conformity, and
* (4) the manipulation of the totality of the person's social environment to stabilize behavior once modified.
Thought-reform programs have been employed in attempts to control and indoctrinate individuals, societal groups (e.g., intellectuals), and even entire populations. Systems intended to accomplish these goals can vary considerably in their construction. Even the first systems studied under the label "thought reform" ranged from those in which confinement and physical assault were employed (Schein 1956; Lifton 1954; Lifton 1961 pp. 19-85) to applications that were carried out under nonconfined conditions, in which nonphysical coercion substituted for assault (Lifton 1961, pp. 242-273; Schein 1961, pp. 290-298). The individuals to whom these influence programs were applied were in some cases unwilling subjects (prisoner populations) and in other cases volunteers who sought to participate in what they believed might be a career-beneficial, educational experience (Lifton 1981, p. 248).
Significant differences existed between the social environments and the control mechanisms employed in the two types of programs initially studied. Their similarities, however, are of more importance in understanding their ability to influence behavior and beliefs than are their differences. They shared the utilization of coercive persuasion's key effective-influence mechanisms: a focused attack on the stability of a person's sense of self; reliance on peer group interaction; the development of interpersonal bonds between targets and their controllers and peers; and an ability to control communication among participants. Edgar Schein captured the essential similarity between the types of programs in his definition of the coercive-persuasion phenomenon. Schein noted that even for prisoners, what happened was a subjection to "unusually intense and prolonged persuasion" that they could not avoid; thus, "they were coerced into allowing themselves to be persuaded" (Schein 1961, p. 18).
Programs of both types (confined/assaultive and nonconfined/nonassaultive) cause a range of cognitive and behavioral responses. The reported cognitive responses vary from apparently rare instances, classifiable as internalized belief change (enduring change), to a frequently observed transient alteration in beliefs that appears to be situationally adaptive and, finally, to reactions of nothing less than firm intellectual resistance and hostility (Lifton 1961, pp. 117-151, 399-415; Schein 1961, pp. 157-166).
The phrase situationally adaptive belief change refers to attitude change that is not stable and is environment dependent. This type of response to the influence pressures of coercive-persuasion programs is perhaps the most surprising of the responses that have been observed. The combination of psychological assault on the self, interpersonal pressure, and the social organization of the environment creates a situation that can only be coped with by adapting and acting so as to present oneself to others in terms of the ideology supported in the environment (see below for discussion). Eliciting the desired verbal and interactive behavior sets up conditions likely to stimulate the development of attitudes consistent with and that function to rationalize new behavior in which the individual is engaging. Models of attitude change, such as the theory of Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger 1957) or Self-Perception Theory (Bern 1972), explain the tendency for consistent attitudes to develop as a consequence of behavior.
The surprising aspect of the situationally adaptive response is that the attitudes that develop are unstable. They tend to change dramatically once the person is removed from an environment that has totalistic properties and is organized to support the adaptive attitudes. Once removed from such an environment, the person is able to interact with others who permit and encourage the expression of criticisms and doubts, which were previously stifled because of the normative rules of the reform environment (Schein 1961, p. 163; Lifton 1961, pp. 87-116, 399-415; Ofshe and Singer 1986). This pattern of change, first in one direction and then the other, dramatically highlights the profound importance of social support in the explanation of attitude change and stability. This relationship has for decades been one of the principal interests in the field of social psychology.
Then there's the horrifying experience that Karen Lile had with.
http://www.insidersview.info/breakingthesecrecy.htm
TheWho:
lol!! where did that come from? Someone mix up their meds? Dont see what this has to do with seminars or awarness training. Lets get back on topic everyone.
Anonymous:
--- Quote from: "Liturgy" ---lol!! where did that come from? Someone mix up their meds? Dont see what this has to do with seminars or awarness training. Lets get back on topic everyone.
--- End quote ---
No, its directly related. Try adjusting your dosage.
Anne Bonney:
--- Quote from: "Guest" ---I remember what it was like when I had nobody to turn to. Being at an Aspen program was so hard for me, I had no voice, nobody believed me about anything. I hate the fact that the majority of people if not all people have no idea where I am coming from. My husband is wondering why I even care, and I should just put this all behind me. Nobody knows until you are locked up in one of these places, and the days go by sooooo slowly. Look, I am 24 years old. I thought at the age of 18 I was done with all this (that's my guesstimate when I first let go, now it has come back). Well, I gave it a lot of time, ,and energy back in the day. Nobody fought for me, I didn't have people like you on my side. Had I had the support that's so obviously there for teens now, I would have taken these assholes down a long time ago. I am here to say THINK TWICE BEFORE SENDING YOUR CHILDREN TO ANY OF THESE ASPEN PROGRAMS. Seriously, when I was there they hired just anyone off the street. The only person that had any kind of degree around there was your therapist who you saw once a week. These staff were young, and had no experience with kids. Lately, I have felt horrible. All these kids, who like me didn't want to be sent away. It wasn't by choice. I know my parents made some very poor decisions. The decision of sending me to a program ranks # 1 on the list. Still after all these years, my Dad says how sorry he is. My Dad is 85 years old, and loves watching Fox News. There has been reports on abusive facilities, and now he realizes that I was telling the truth. Especially, when I am able to tell him everything today just the way I did all those years ago. It's amazing, I remember things as if it were only yesterday. You always remember the truth, because you experienced it. Lies get washed away. I need to know why this has gone so far? Why after all these years is it still happening? Years later I do a "google search" and I am horrified. I thought having one school was bad enough, but knowing that they've multiplied like this???? How did this happen? I should have done something while I had the chance. With the financial momentum they have, they get squashed, then they re-invent themselves. I want to know you TheWho, how do you wake up everyday and look at yourself in the mirror?
--- End quote ---
:'(
Whooter:
--- Quote from: "Anne Bonney" ---
--- Quote from: "Guest" ---I remember what it was like when I had nobody to turn to. Being at an Aspen program was so hard for me, I had no voice, nobody believed me about anything. I hate the fact that the majority of people if not all people have no idea where I am coming from. My husband is wondering why I even care, and I should just put this all behind me. Nobody knows until you are locked up in one of these places, and the days go by sooooo slowly. Look, I am 24 years old. I thought at the age of 18 I was done with all this (that's my guesstimate when I first let go, now it has come back). Well, I gave it a lot of time, ,and energy back in the day. Nobody fought for me, I didn't have people like you on my side. Had I had the support that's so obviously there for teens now, I would have taken these assholes down a long time ago. I am here to say THINK TWICE BEFORE SENDING YOUR CHILDREN TO ANY OF THESE ASPEN PROGRAMS. Seriously, when I was there they hired just anyone off the street. The only person that had any kind of degree around there was your therapist who you saw once a week. These staff were young, and had no experience with kids. Lately, I have felt horrible. All these kids, who like me didn't want to be sent away. It wasn't by choice. I know my parents made some very poor decisions. The decision of sending me to a program ranks # 1 on the list. Still after all these years, my Dad says how sorry he is. My Dad is 85 years old, and loves watching Fox News. There has been reports on abusive facilities, and now he realizes that I was telling the truth. Especially, when I am able to tell him everything today just the way I did all those years ago. It's amazing, I remember things as if it were only yesterday. You always remember the truth, because you experienced it. Lies get washed away. I need to know why this has gone so far? Why after all these years is it still happening? Years later I do a "google search" and I am horrified. I thought having one school was bad enough, but knowing that they've multiplied like this???? How did this happen? I should have done something while I had the chance. With the financial momentum they have, they get squashed, then they re-invent themselves. I want to know you TheWho, how do you wake up everyday and look at yourself in the mirror?
--- End quote ---
:'(
--- End quote ---
Just a suggestion. I think it would have been more effective if the poster ran a quick google search on Aspen programs and just picked a name at random (i.e. Academy at Swift River, Aspen Ranch etc.). It would have only taken him a second. It is obvious that the poster wasn't familiar with any of the Aspen programs.
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