THE NARRATIVE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
THE NARRATIVE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Author(s): Miranda HolmstromSubject(s): Politics, Media studies, Communication studies, Recent History (1900 till today), Government/Political systems, Security and defense, Social psychology and group interaction, ICT Information and Communications Technologies
Published by: NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
Keywords: communication; information; narratives; social media; ISIS; democracy
Summary/Abstract: In the Strategic Communications (StratCom) community, we work to get effects, actions, and changes in behaviour from our target audiences. Intuitively one would argue that we are on a mission to persuade people to do things differently, or at least to change their opinions. ‘Winning hearts and minds’ may seem easy, especially when you have the truth, logic, or at least a lot of money on your side. However, years of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan haven proven this to be wrong, and through the fields of social psychology and behavioural economics we now know that there is indeed a bit more to it. Attitudes do not necessarily predict behaviour. Why then is a narrative still so important, or why does propaganda work at all?
Journal: Defence Strategic Communications
- Issue Year: 1/2015
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 118-132
- Page Count: 15
- Language: English