HOW WORDS AND EMOTIONS CONTROL BEHAVIOR

Abstract

It is now being realized that people are driven by their emotions too much greater extent than by their intellect. Therefore, most influential are those leaders who knew how to evoke appropriate emotional states in their listeners. Examples of successful propaganda provide Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and recently Rwanda. In fact, both Nazi and Soviet propaganda made it possible to exterminate thousands of people with a silent consent of common citizens. Most people are easy to manipulate because they do not realize that words are symbols that bear strong emotional load. Moreover, party and religious leaders are often not aware of the consequences of the words they use. Whether they speak of an “enemy” of the nation, religion or society their eager followers will sooner or later come to the conclusion that the enemy is a serious obstacle in the welfare of the state. It made the revolutionary to slaughter all those who dared to think and act in a different way. On the other hand, words can also create positive attitudes persuading people to offer help to those in need. It is closely connected with the way the brain works. The studies found that common are not only sensual illusions but cognitive illusions as well. They make people to act in accordance with schemas they have internalized, and to react with negative emotions to those who try to change their word outlook, and the manner of thinking since they in terpret it as an attack on their basic values.