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Indoctrination

 

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Indoctrination



 
 
Indoctrination is the process of inculcating idea
Idea

An idea is a form formed by consciousness through the process of Ideation . Human capability to contemplate ideas is associated with the ability of reasoning, human self-reflection, and of the ability to acquire and apply intellect, intuition, inspiration, etc.....
s, attitudes
Attitude (psychology)

An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or dislike for an item. Attitudes are generally positive or negative views of a person, place, thing, or event-- this is often referred to as the attitude object....
, cognitive strategies
Cognition

Cognition is the science term for "the process of thought."Its usage varies in different ways in accord with different disciplines: For example, in psychology and cognitive science it refers to an information processing view of an individual's psychological Functionalism s....
 or a professional methodology
Methodology

Methodology can be defined as:# "the analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline";# "the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a discipline"; or...
. It is often distinguished from education
Education

File:Inukshuk Monterrey 1.jpgEducation can be seen as a product or a process and considered in a broad sense or a technical sense. According to philosophy of education George F....
 by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine
Critical thinking

Critical thinking is purposeful and reflective judgment about what to believe or do in response to observations, experience, Interpersonal communication or writing expressions, or arguments....
 the doctrine
Doctrine

Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachers" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system....
 they have learned. As such it is used pejorative
Pejorative

Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt. When used as an adjective, pejorative is synonymous with derogatory, derisive, dyslogistic, and contemptuous....
ly. Instruction in the basic principles of science
Science

In its broadest sense, science refers to any systematic knowledge or practice. In its more usual restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research....
, in particular, can not properly be called indoctrination, in the sense that the fundamental principals of science call for critical self-evaluation and skeptical scrutiny of one's own ideas.
Definitions
Indoctrination refers to a wide range of different activities, and finding a single definition is problematic.






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Indoctrination is the process of inculcating idea
Idea

An idea is a form formed by consciousness through the process of Ideation . Human capability to contemplate ideas is associated with the ability of reasoning, human self-reflection, and of the ability to acquire and apply intellect, intuition, inspiration, etc.....
s, attitudes
Attitude (psychology)

An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or dislike for an item. Attitudes are generally positive or negative views of a person, place, thing, or event-- this is often referred to as the attitude object....
, cognitive strategies
Cognition

Cognition is the science term for "the process of thought."Its usage varies in different ways in accord with different disciplines: For example, in psychology and cognitive science it refers to an information processing view of an individual's psychological Functionalism s....
 or a professional methodology
Methodology

Methodology can be defined as:# "the analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline";# "the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a discipline"; or...
. It is often distinguished from education
Education

File:Inukshuk Monterrey 1.jpgEducation can be seen as a product or a process and considered in a broad sense or a technical sense. According to philosophy of education George F....
 by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine
Critical thinking

Critical thinking is purposeful and reflective judgment about what to believe or do in response to observations, experience, Interpersonal communication or writing expressions, or arguments....
 the doctrine
Doctrine

Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachers" or "instructions", taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system....
 they have learned. As such it is used pejorative
Pejorative

Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt. When used as an adjective, pejorative is synonymous with derogatory, derisive, dyslogistic, and contemptuous....
ly. Instruction in the basic principles of science
Science

In its broadest sense, science refers to any systematic knowledge or practice. In its more usual restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research....
, in particular, can not properly be called indoctrination, in the sense that the fundamental principals of science call for critical self-evaluation and skeptical scrutiny of one's own ideas.

Definitions


Indoctrination refers to a wide range of different activities, and finding a single definition is problematic. In the fields of psychology
Psychology

Psychology is an academic and applied science discipline involving the science study of human mental functions and behavior. Occasionally it also relies on symbolic hermeneutics and critical theory, although these traditions are less pronounced than in other social sciences such as sociology....
, sociology
Sociology

Sociology is a branch of the social sciences that uses systematic methods of Empiricism and critical theory to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure and activity, sometimes with the goal of applying such knowledge to the pursuit of social welfare....
 and educational research, more precise terms are often preferred, including (but not limited to): socialization
Socialization

The term socialization is used by Sociology, social Psychology and educationalists to refer to the process of learning one?s culture and how to live within it....
, propaganda
Propaganda

Propaganda is the dissemination of information aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people. As opposed to Objectivity providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience....
, manipulation
Manipulation

Manipulation can mean:...
, and brainwashing
Brainwashing

Brainwashing consists of any effort aimed at instilling certain attitudes and beliefs in a person ? beliefs sometimes unwelcome or in conflict with the person's prior beliefs and knowledge, in order to affect that individual's value system and subsequent thought-patterns and behaviors....
.

In education
Education

File:Inukshuk Monterrey 1.jpgEducation can be seen as a product or a process and considered in a broad sense or a technical sense. According to philosophy of education George F....
, distinguishing (undesirable) "indoctrination" from the (acceptable) teaching of values is particularly problematic.

Religious indoctrination


Religious indoctrination
Religious indoctrination

Religious indoctrination refers to customary rite of passage for the indoctrination of persons into a particular religion and its extended community....
 refers to customary rites of passage for the indoctrination of persons into a particular religion and its extended community.

Most religious groups instruct new members in the principles of the religion; this is usually not referred to as indoctrination, because of the negative connotations the word has acquired. Mystery religion
Mystery religion

Mystery Religions, Sacred Mysteries or simply Mysteries, were "religious Cult of the Graeco-Roman world, full admission to which was restricted to those who had gone through certain secret initiation rites."...
s require a period of indoctrination before granting access to esoteric knowledge. (c.f. Information security).

Many religions have commitment ceremonies aimed at children 12 years and younger, such as Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation; and others have rituals in the form of emotional/social assessments like Scientology. The unusual situation exists in secular societies where children who in no other circumstances would be regarded as able to form a reasoned commitment to an ideology (such as political etc.) or sign a contract, are expected to commit to religious teachings with affirmations in public.

Military indoctrination


The initial psychological preparation of soldiers during training is referred to (non-pejoratively) as indoctrination. See Recruit training
Recruit training

Recruit training is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel. It may be common to all recruits, officers being selected on the basis of competency shown during recruit training, or for the enlisted ranks only....
.

Information security


In the field of information security, indoctrination is the initial briefing and instructions given before a person is granted access to secret information.

Criticism


Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky

Avram Noam Chomsky is an United States linguistics, philosopher, cognitive science, political activist, author, and lecturer. He is an Institute Professor emeritus and professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology....
 remarks, "For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to come to understand the mechanisms and practices of indoctrination. These are easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the system of 'brainwashing
Brainwashing

Brainwashing consists of any effort aimed at instilling certain attitudes and beliefs in a person ? beliefs sometimes unwelcome or in conflict with the person's prior beliefs and knowledge, in order to affect that individual's value system and subsequent thought-patterns and behaviors....
 under freedom' to which we are subjected and which all too often we serve as willing or unwitting instruments."

Robert Jay Lifton
Robert Jay Lifton

Robert Jay Lifton is an United States psychiatrist and author, chiefly known for his studies of the psychological causes and effects of war and political violence and for his theory of thought reform....
 argues that the objective of phrases or slogans like "blood for oil," or "cut and run," is not to continue reflective conversations but to replace them with emotionally appealing phrases. This technique is called the thought-terminating cliché
Thought-terminating cliché

A thought-terminating clich? is a commonly used phrase, sometimes passing as folk wisdom, used to quell cognitive dissonance. Though the phrase in and of itself may be valid in certain contexts, its application as a means of dismissing dissention or justifying Fallacy is what makes it thought-terminating....
.

See also

  • Behavior modification
    Behavior modification

    Behavior modification is the use of empirically demonstrated behavior change techniques to improve behavior, such as altering an individual's behaviors and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior and/or the reduction of maladaptive behavior through punishment and/or ....
  • Brainwashing
    Brainwashing

    Brainwashing consists of any effort aimed at instilling certain attitudes and beliefs in a person ? beliefs sometimes unwelcome or in conflict with the person's prior beliefs and knowledge, in order to affect that individual's value system and subsequent thought-patterns and behaviors....
  • Manipulation
    Manipulation

    Manipulation can mean:...
  • Propaganda
    Propaganda

    Propaganda is the dissemination of information aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people. As opposed to Objectivity providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience....
  • Recruit training
    Recruit training

    Recruit training is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel. It may be common to all recruits, officers being selected on the basis of competency shown during recruit training, or for the enlisted ranks only....
  • Religious indoctrination
    Religious indoctrination

    Religious indoctrination refers to customary rite of passage for the indoctrination of persons into a particular religion and its extended community....
  • Self-deception
    Self-deception

    Self-deception is a process of denial or Rationalization away the relevance, significance, or importance of opposing evidence and logical argument....
  • Socialization
    Socialization

    The term socialization is used by Sociology, social Psychology and educationalists to refer to the process of learning one?s culture and how to live within it....


External links

  • Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
  • Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Education