s that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularl

Immunisation theory owes much to the medical practice of vaccines and innoculation, and just as it has saved countless lives in this virus-infested world, rhetorical immunisation can provide a superb defence against incoming propaganda and mind viruses.

Immunisation works by introducing a small and controlled amount of a virus into the body. In effect, it amounts to providing crucial intelligence about an enemy’s offensive capacity, and it allows the body to use that intelligence to build up strong defences against the particular viral profile. If and when a much more virulent attack comes, the body already has built up the defensive capability to ward off the assault.

The secret to immunisation is to ensure that the dose is weak. If the dose were too strong it would overrun the body’s immune system and result in serious illness, if not death. The dose must be weak enough to trigger an immune response to allow the body to build up an army-in-waiting, ever vigilant against a specific invader, but not strong enough to crush its host.

In memetics (the study of mind-viruses) it has been found that immunisation provides a very similar effect in respect to invading memes (argument, propaganda and opinions that may weaken attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of an individual or group).

A classic mind virus that swept over most of the civilised world was that of economic rationalism represented in its more extreme forms by Thatcherism and Reganomics, so much so, that today it is treated as a self-evident truth.

Had the politicians, intellectuals and activists who supported a more nurturant social contract with their citizens applied inoculation theory early in the peace - instead of using tired and traditional argument forms - we may be living in quite a different, and, arguably, more compassionate world today.

Immunisation Theory in Practice

1. Warn of an impending attack. As in the case of warnings about, for example, a new and virulent strain of flu coming out of Asia, you let you target audience know that it will come under attack.

The warning plays a vital role in the inoculation process. You may notice that it is normal to feel threatened when people warn you of an impending attack and you can probably recall that sense of heightened awareness as your defences are triggered. It is also normal that when feeling an imminent threat that you automatically begin to man your battle stations and get ready for the attack. Remember that last time you felt moderately threatened - a range of possible defensive actions began to circulate, didn't they?

1. Launch a weak attack. An attack on a belief, value or behaviour is viewed by most people at a deeper level as an attack on their person.

Few people make the distinction between themselves as individuals and the beliefs and values they embody. This is because the prevalent metaphor on argument in the western world is that of Argument is War. That is why we 'win' arguments; blow our opponents out of the water and use every trick in the book to ensure that the enemy does not overwhelm us.

It is imperative that your attack when applying the immunisation technique be just strong enough to activate the defences of the individual or group. If you mount a strong attack, your argument may be so strong that the audience buys it and thus the thoughts, feelings or actions you wish to fortify may be weakened or be overwhelmed.

1. Get the target group or individual to actively defend against the attack. Invite the target group to consider how it/they would refute key points of the opposing argument. Get the group or individual keenly engaged in developing a counter attack. Plug into the argument is war metaphor.

Another way to stimulate the type of engagement needed to evoke a strong and passionate defence is to use hypnotic language patterns to draw listeners into shared space. By using language patterns that allow both you and your target audience to share a particular ‘reality’ you can encourage remote audiences (such as those watching television, listening to podcasts or radio) to activate their defences and to continue thinking about the attack long after you have raised the warning.

Hypnotic language patterns are ‘no biggie’ and can be learned – just watch a good lecturn thumping tele-evangelist and observe the rhetorical patterns used and you’ll get an idea. My book, The Charisma Effect, details how to use specific language patterns that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularly

lar effect in respect to invading memes (argument, propaganda and opinions that may weaken attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of an individual or group).

A classic mind virus that swept over most of the civilised world was that of economic rationalism represented in its more extreme forms by Thatcherism and Reganomics, so much so, that today it is treated as a self-evident truth.

Had the politicians, intellectuals and activists who supported a more nurturant social contract with their citizens applied inoculation theory early in the peace - instead of using tired and traditional argument forms - we may be living in quite a different, and, arguably, more compassionate world today.

Immunisation Theory in Practice

1. Warn of an impending attack. As in the case of warnings about, for example, a new and virulent strain of flu coming out of Asia, you let you target audience know that it will come under attack.

The warning plays a vital role in the inoculation process. You may notice that it is normal to feel threatened when people warn you of an impending attack and you can probably recall that sense of heightened awareness as your defences are triggered. It is also normal that when feeling an imminent threat that you automatically begin to man your battle stations and get ready for the attack. Remember that last time you felt moderately threatened - a range of possible defensive actions began to circulate, didn't they?

1. Launch a weak attack. An attack on a belief, value or behaviour is viewed by most people at a deeper level as an attack on their person.

Few people make the distinction between themselves as individuals and the beliefs and values they embody. This is because the prevalent metaphor on argument in the western world is that of Argument is War. That is why we 'win' arguments; blow our opponents out of the water and use every trick in the book to ensure that the enemy does not overwhelm us.

It is imperative that your attack when applying the immunisation technique be just strong enough to activate the defences of the individual or group. If you mount a strong attack, your argument may be so strong that the audience buys it and thus the thoughts, feelings or actions you wish to fortify may be weakened or be overwhelmed.

1. Get the target group or individual to actively defend against the attack. Invite the target group to consider how it/they would refute key points of the opposing argument. Get the group or individual keenly engaged in developing a counter attack. Plug into the argument is war metaphor.

Another way to stimulate the type of engagement needed to evoke a strong and passionate defence is to use hypnotic language patterns to draw listeners into shared space. By using language patterns that allow both you and your target audience to share a particular ‘reality’ you can encourage remote audiences (such as those watching television, listening to podcasts or radio) to activate their defences and to continue thinking about the attack long after you have raised the warning.

Hypnotic language patterns are ‘no biggie’ and can be learned – just watch a good lecturn thumping tele-evangelist and observe the rhetorical patterns used and you’ll get an idea. My book, The Charisma Effect, details how to use specific language patterns that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularl

you can probably recall that sense of heightened awareness as your defences are triggered. It is also normal that when feeling an imminent threat that you automatically begin to man your battle stations and get ready for the attack. Remember that last time you felt moderately threatened - a range of possible defensive actions began to circulate, didn't they?

1. Launch a weak attack. An attack on a belief, value or behaviour is viewed by most people at a deeper level as an attack on their person.

Few people make the distinction between themselves as individuals and the beliefs and values they embody. This is because the prevalent metaphor on argument in the western world is that of Argument is War. That is why we 'win' arguments; blow our opponents out of the water and use every trick in the book to ensure that the enemy does not overwhelm us.

It is imperative that your attack when applying the immunisation technique be just strong enough to activate the defences of the individual or group. If you mount a strong attack, your argument may be so strong that the audience buys it and thus the thoughts, feelings or actions you wish to fortify may be weakened or be overwhelmed.

1. Get the target group or individual to actively defend against the attack. Invite the target group to consider how it/they would refute key points of the opposing argument. Get the group or individual keenly engaged in developing a counter attack. Plug into the argument is war metaphor.

Another way to stimulate the type of engagement needed to evoke a strong and passionate defence is to use hypnotic language patterns to draw listeners into shared space. By using language patterns that allow both you and your target audience to share a particular ‘reality’ you can encourage remote audiences (such as those watching television, listening to podcasts or radio) to activate their defences and to continue thinking about the attack long after you have raised the warning.

Hypnotic language patterns are ‘no biggie’ and can be learned – just watch a good lecturn thumping tele-evangelist and observe the rhetorical patterns used and you’ll get an idea. My book, The Charisma Effect, details how to use specific language patterns that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularl

ughts, feelings or actions you wish to fortify may be weakened or be overwhelmed.

1. Get the target group or individual to actively defend against the attack. Invite the target group to consider how it/they would refute key points of the opposing argument. Get the group or individual keenly engaged in developing a counter attack. Plug into the argument is war metaphor.

Another way to stimulate the type of engagement needed to evoke a strong and passionate defence is to use hypnotic language patterns to draw listeners into shared space. By using language patterns that allow both you and your target audience to share a particular ‘reality’ you can encourage remote audiences (such as those watching television, listening to podcasts or radio) to activate their defences and to continue thinking about the attack long after you have raised the warning.

Hypnotic language patterns are ‘no biggie’ and can be learned – just watch a good lecturn thumping tele-evangelist and observe the rhetorical patterns used and you’ll get an idea. My book, The Charisma Effect, details how to use specific language patterns that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularl

s that guide listeners along particular paths of thought.

Extensive research by social psychologists has revealed that the more vigorously an immunised person defends against an attack, the more deep-seated and enduring the existing attitude will become. A vigorous defence implies that the individual not only thinks of counter-arguments, but also verbalises the counter-arguments. Ensure, if you can, that you get the listener to passionately and verbally mount their defence.

Applications Immunisation techniques can be applied to change management, advertising, political campaigning, social engineering, office politics and team sports, to name a few examples.

Recent research shows that voters are regularly the subject of inoculation practices in election and political campaigns. For example, one party may send out literature to potential voters warning them that an opposing party is likely to mount an attack on them or one or more of their candidates on specified issues. The warning is accompanied by a weak attack and content that encourages voters to consider what is at stake.

Immunisation is particularly useful when you are speaking publicly, however it is at its most powerful and effective when you can ensure that the listener actually engages in verbal defence. For this reason it is recommended that you consider first using the technique for internal presentations, such as board presentations, staff meetings, and issues that deal with physical, commercial and cultural change.

(c) Desmond Guilfoyle 2006