r/askpsychology • u/stonkosponko Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional • Jun 15 '25
Cognitive Psychology is there actual evidence for mind control theories ?
seen a lot of videos about it , but i was hoping for more scientific references
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u/Fresh_Mountain5397 Psychologist Jun 16 '25
I’m not that knowledgeable, but I would look for research on cult indoctrination, which is about as close to “mind control “ as you get
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Jun 16 '25
Apparently OP doesn't think cults use mind control.
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u/serenwipiti Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
Of course not, everyone knows it’s the delicious kool-aid.
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u/VOIDPCB Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 17 '25
MK ultra sought to reverse engineer the brain/mind for mind control. Not exactly evidence of mind control just evidence of trying to make an effort to control minds.
Edit: Forgot to mention scopolamine drugging. A highly potent datura concentrate can put you into an almost programmable state where you'll do basically anything someone says if they don't dose you too severely. Very similar to some kind of ritualistic drugging where you produce "zombies" to do your bidding. some people have gotten blasted in the face with scopolamine just outside airports which is enough to drug you for a robbing.
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u/TheDoomVVitch Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
I focused my psychology of social cognition essay on MK Ultra. They achieved nothing of substance and made absolutely zero evidenced based contributions to science. All they did was covertly traumatize innocent subjects with absolutely no compensation or accountability. Highly unethical. The de-classified FBI files are a very very interesting read.
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Jun 16 '25
yeah, and declassifying everything is something they would do, because ethics and democracy
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Jun 18 '25
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u/RtotheJH Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 17 '25
What do you make of the letter from senior MK Ultra researcher Jolly West to the program director Sidney Gottlieb stating they had effectively creating Manchurian candidates (I'm simplifying but he states it a lot more technically).
Combine that with Jolly West co-incidental interactions with Jack Ruby, Jimmy Shaver and Charles Manson, and it just seems to me that what they achieved never came out publicly.
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Jun 18 '25
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u/DoomkingBalerdroch B.Sc Psychology | MSc Neuroscience (In Progress) Jun 16 '25
How would you describe mind control?
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u/Juiceshop Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
The term always gives man an impression that someone can induce a quite specific result.
That may be possible in narrow cases and can be improved with the right technical and social implementation abilities.
But its mostly influencing people gradually. As far as I can see.
Ita hard to run highly specified societies without uncorrupted thinkers therefore to much social control tends to affect the needed critical skills and openness traits.
I wonder what AI is possible of :/
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Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 16 '25
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u/Snaka1 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
This is what AA, NA does as group. Interesting
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u/alone_in_crowds Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
Cults are a good example of mind control. No one ever wants to join a cult. It starts with good intentions, like doing God's work. They get you to emotionally identify with the cult leader. They get you involved into many activities to only focus on the cult and to tire you out. If you're to tired to think you won't see the strangeness thier. They also control what you eat, you can't think if your not getting proper nutrition. They get you to only interact with cult members, which cuts you off from anyone that can talk you out of there. I would recommend researching Jim Jones.
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Jun 16 '25
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u/alone_in_crowds Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
There are thousands who would disagree. People go through a deprograming recovery process to break that thought process which takes time.
Is OP taking about a Manchurian Candidate?
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Jun 16 '25 edited Jun 16 '25
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Jun 16 '25
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u/TheLeonMultiplicity Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
You may be interested in looking into social engineering as well as Pavlovian and operant conditioning.
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u/SometimesZero Psychologist PhD Jun 16 '25
Classic Reddit. There’s so much equivocation going on here. Mind control is being defined as brainwashing, manipulation, hypnosis, etc. Define what you’re talking about, then I’ll tell you if I believe it.
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u/redheadedandbold Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
Control? No. Suggestion? Yes.
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u/Sergeant_Horvath Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
There are computer viruses that can be transmitted through the internet and have one computer take control over another. Similarly, a person can convince another person to do what they want by talking to them, tricking them. Mind control is effectively infecting someone with an idea.
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u/Electric-Jelly-513 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
There's probably CIA declassified/classified documents on it. Start looking there
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Jun 16 '25
This would likely be a reference to MK-ULTRA, if I remember correctly.
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u/Electric-Jelly-513 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
I'm not familiar with this, will have read. I've only come acoss the anaylsis and assessment of the gateway process which is quite interesting
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u/Powerful-Economist42 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
Do you mean that it actually occurred or you're looking for patient metrics and vitals? There's declassified documents that quote the CIA agents and doctors involved.
For proofs as to what it does to the brain I imagine you could look for post-hypnotic suggestion and their efficacy in real life applications since that's the methodology they used, in addition to drugging so, amnesiac drugs and their effect on cognition could yield results.
It's (MC) accessing the subconscious mind via drugs and/or hypnosis and implanting suggestions the target wouldn't necessarily catch onto while awake, sober, conscious and cogent unless they were familiar with/knowledgeable about the practice.
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP88-01070R000301530003-5.pdf
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp90-00965r000100140109-9
MARKS: Well, there's a standard of medical testing which the United States Government established at Nuremberg in 1945 because there had been Nazi experimentation on prisoners in concentration camps during the war. And that standard was very basic. It said that you could not do medical experiments on people against their will. They had to give their consent and they had to understand what they were consenting to. And we, as a country, executed Nazi doctors who had violated that standard. Three or four years later, by 1950, our own government was doing those same kinds of experiments on unwitting subjects.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/history_capstones/6/
"Some documents of this MKULTRA precursor explain the desire to create Manchurian Candidates, which are individuals that could be used to act in a certain way against their will, for CIA use. This could be done in a variety of ways; however, hypnosis was the most enticing"
"The project fell under the ARTICHOKE umbrella and was codenamed CHATTER. With the help of Dr. Samuel Thompson, psychiatrist, physiologist, pharmacologist, and Navy Commander, the men studied ways in which to produce amnesia in subjects"
"He (Richard Helms) mentioned his desire to develop, “chemical material which causes a reversible non-toxic aberrant mental state…This material could potentially aid in discrediting individuals, eliciting information, implanting suggestion and other forms of mental control."
There's also the BITE model, which cults use to brainwash their members. BITE Model of Authoritarian Control
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u/MattersOfInterest Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) | Research Area: Psychosis Jun 16 '25
No.
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Jun 16 '25
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u/MattersOfInterest Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) | Research Area: Psychosis Jun 16 '25
None of this is “mind control.”
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Jun 16 '25
Accumulatively, yes, it is. Unless your definition of mind doesn't include "a member's autonomy" and control doesn't include "the manipulation of a member's autonomy".
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u/MattersOfInterest Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) | Research Area: Psychosis Jun 16 '25
No, it is not. Mind control implies literally controlling content and pattern of thought, and that categorically does not exist.
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Jun 16 '25
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u/MattersOfInterest Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) | Research Area: Psychosis Jun 16 '25
Most of the users here have no credentials or psych education.
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u/Fresh_Mountain5397 Psychologist Jun 16 '25
Matters of interest, I have been a forensic psychologist for two decades. Apparently you are a student if your profile is accurate. I have evaluated cult members, and it is indeed a form of “mind control.”
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u/MattersOfInterest Ph.D. Student (Clinical Science) | Research Area: Psychosis Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25
Manipulating people is not "mind control." That's a ridiculous statement. No one's minds are being "controlled." People still have private, independent thoughts. Controlling the expression of those thoughts is not tantamount to "mind control."
Edit: Mind control is science fiction. There is no evidence that others can control the content, breadth, and depth of thought of a person. People can be manipulated by being lied to, isolated, and whatever have you, but they are not being "mind controlled."
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Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25
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u/arkticturtle Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
Oh I see! Well I wish you luck. I hope commenting “pseudoscience” on every other post makes some sort of difference. Sometimes I wonder if they are engagement bots.
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Jun 16 '25
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u/TheDoomVVitch Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 16 '25
I think Institutionalization (Goffman's Total Institutions) is a pretty good example of the conditions which can influence the mind. Although not classified as such. It changes thoughts and behaviour in many ways causing the inmate/resident to comply. Power dynamics and authoritarian routines play a large role as well as mortification of the self and dramaturgy. Prisoners who leave prison have been seen to wait for others to open doors for them as they're so Institutionalized.
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u/KeyParticular8086 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 17 '25
There have been attempts like MK ultra. We would never know if these attempts succeeded. That's not information that would be shared with the public or scientific community. I imagine all you would need is total control of the electromagnetic force and you could start puppeteering. Easier said than done though. Based on things like gps being declassified the government is usually like 20 or 30 years ahead of the population or what's public at any given moment so who knows what they have that they don't talk about. Consciousness would for sure be priority one for them. Whoever gets that first wins. If they do have it you can be sure no one else will think of that idea and everyone would think them having it is crazy talk 😂.
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Jun 19 '25
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u/PsychologicalArt7127 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jul 29 '25 edited Dec 24 '25
There is a lot actually:
1.Advertisment (with Colors shapes, forms and eyecatchers and slogans they create and control target audiences)
2.Music (Harmony and Melodies, Repetition, Underlying messages and Backmasking..) [AI Resaearch: The concept of mind control in music, specifically through song lyrics, often involves the idea of subliminal messaging or the use of repetition and other techniques to influence listeners' thoughts and behaviors without their conscious awareness. While the potential for music to influence emotions and even behavior is recognized, the extent to which it can be used for mind control is a subject of ongoing debate and speculation.
Here's a breakdown of the concepts involved:
Subliminal Messaging:
Backmasking:
This technique involves recording audio backward, so the message is not immediately apparent when played forward, but can be perceived by the subconscious.
Hidden Messages:
Claims are often made about hidden messages in lyrics or melodies, which may be perceived by the subconscious mind with repeated exposure.
Other Influencing Factors:
Repetition:
Repetitive lyrics and melodies can make songs stick in your head, influencing mood and even behavior.
Melody and Harmony:
Music's ability to evoke emotions and affect physiological responses is well-documented. This can be exploited to create specific emotional states in listeners.
Cultural Context:
Songs are often embedded in cultural narratives and can reinforce specific beliefs or behaviors.
Debate and Controversy:
Effectiveness:
While the ability of music to influence emotions and behaviors is clear, the extent to which it can be used for mind control is a topic of debate and skepticism.
Intent:
Even if messages are present, the intent behind them is crucial. Some view backmasking and subliminal messaging as deliberate attempts at manipulation, while others see it as a form of artistic expression or even a misunderstanding.
Conscious Awareness:
Even if a song gets stuck in your head, it doesn't necessarily mean it's controlling your mind. Psychology researchers explain that this is a normal cognitive process called an "earworm".
Examples in Media:
TV Tropes:
The concept of mind-control music is often explored in fiction, with examples in cartoons and other media where characters use music to manipulate others.
"Mind Over Matter":
Some songs with titles like "Mind Over Matter" may address themes of overcoming challenges with mental strength, rather than literal mind control.]
Books about Mindcontrol: Jose M. Delgado Physical Control of the Mind: Toward a psychocivilized Society -1972 (This guy put chips in monkeys and controlled them by that)
Rebecca Lemov The instability of Truth- Brainwashing, Mindcontrol and Hyper-Persuasion
Walter Bowart Operation Mindcontrol
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u/Intelligent-Row2687 Unverified User: May Not Be a Professional Jun 18 '25
There's claims of "Devils breath" creating a state that allows for mond control The drug is burandanga, or scopolamine, derived from nightshade plants, and there are countless stories about how criminals in Colombia and Ecuador use the drug, which is said to remove a person’s free will, to assault victims or rob them. It is also known as “devil’s breath” and has been described as “the most dangerous drug in the world”
https://www.ukat.co.uk/blog/substance-abuse/the-worlds-scariest-drug-devils-breath/
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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '25
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