Psychology of Indoctrination…

So I know over the past couple of weeks, rumblings from North Korea have made their way across the Pacific Ocean to the USA raising concerns about the looming threat of nuclear war, and after watching a BBC Panorama on North Korea, it got me thinking…

What psychology lies behind the mass hysteria and indoctrination that has engulfed North Korea and is eerily reminiscent of Adolf Hitler’s infamous Nuremberg Rallies in the 1930′s…

Firstly, inevitably, we must address the nature of North Korea’s society which so clearly states that anyone attempting to oppose either Kim Il-Sung (Eternal Leader) or Kim Jong-un (Supreme Leader) has to be punished, either by exile to a political concentration camp or execution. Even doctors asking for more funding to buy medication for hospitals face death as a consequence of their actions. This oppressive society – reminiscent of George Orwell’s ’1984′ ministry-of-truth style novel – is such that people are forced to comply with state rules out of fear.

It appears that this fear progresses to create a common mindset in all of North Korea’s citizens, so much so that it forms deindividualisation. With mental unity, comes unity in the way people act, hence the scenes of mass hysteria at the sight of their Supreme Leader. This mindset and characteristics actions of North Koreans is positively reinforced through propaganda that appears visually and audibly throughout the country in a strikingly Nazi-like way.

This deindividualization – seeming part of a crowd – destroys the scope for critical thinking. There is, in essence, psychological censorship amongst the people of North Korea. The indoctrination has reached a point where people do not even begin to question the regime, or if they do, they are scared to show their doubts.

The combination of crowd mentality, fear to rebel and positive reinforcement of “correct” behaviour has created a corrupt country that remains backward, impoverished and full of psychologically vulnerable citizens. The extent of indoctrination present in North Korea is proof that people are so easily influenced psychologically.

North Korea is current and relevant proof that the mind is vulnerable to manipulation and just reinforces the fact that the study of psychology is of paramount importance in helping us to understand todays society.