Fear as a form of control

[+OverSword]

I want to post this in a political forum, because I believe this is the purpose of mass survielence by our various governments. The Hawthorne Effect is a phenomena where a subject which is aware that it is being observed will alter thier behaviour. I believe our governments use the Hawthorne Effect to make us behave ourselves.

From wikipedia:

The Hawthorne effect (also referred to as the observer effect) is a form of reactivity whereby subjects improve or modify an aspect of their behavior, which is being experimentally measured, in response to the fact that they know that they are being studied,^[1][2] not in response to any particular experimental manipulation.

The term was coined in 1950 by Henry A. Landsberger^[3] when analysing older experiments from 1924–1932 at the Hawthorne Works (a Western Electric factory outside Chicago). Hawthorne Works had commissioned a study to see if its workers would become more productive in higher or lower levels of light. The workers' productivity seemed to improve when changes were made and slumped when the study was concluded. It was suggested that the productivity gain occurred due to the impact of the motivational effect on the workers as a result of the interest being shown in them.

This effect was observed for minute increases in illumination. In these lighting studies, light intensity was altered to examine its effect on worker productivity. Most industrial/occupational psychology and organizational behavior textbooks refer to the illumination studies^{[citation needed]}. Only occasionally are the rest of the studies mentioned.^[4]

Although illumination research of workplace lighting formed the basis of the Hawthorne effect, other changes such as maintaining clean work stations, clearing floors of obstacles, and even relocating workstations resulted in increased productivity for short periods. Thus the term is used to identify any type of short-lived increase in productivity.^[3][5][6]

Interpretations and views vary. Parsons defines the Hawthorne effect as "the confounding that occurs if experimenters fail to realize how the consequences of subjects' performance affect what subjects do" [i.e. performance is impacted – possibly unconsciously – by possible positive or negative personal consequences unconsidered by the experimenter],^[7] George Elton Mayo describes it in terms of a positive emotional effect due to the perception of a sympathetic or interested observer, Clark and Sugrue (1991) say that uncontrolled novelty effects cause on average 30% of a standard deviation (SD) rise (i.e. 50%–63% score rise), which decays to small level after 8 weeks, Braverman argues that the studies really showed that the workplace was not "a system of bureaucratic formal organisation on the Weberian model, nor a system of informal group relations, as in the interpretation of Mayo and his followers but rather a system of power, of class antagonisms",^[8] and studies of the demand effect also suggests that people might take on pleasing the experimenter as a goal.^[9]

Evaluation of the Hawthorne effect continues in the present day.^[10][11][12]

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect}

[Skep B]

Well, of course it is.

If you know youre under surveillance you're less likely to do something against those watching.

Governments do it, religions do it, parent's with mischevious kids do it

I don't understand how this is something that needs to be stated.

[+OverSword]

Well, of course it is.

If you know youre under surveillance you're less likely to do something against those watching.

Governments do it, religions do it, parent's with mischevious kids do it

I don't understand how this is something that needs to be stated.

Because some people (incase you haven't noticed) are of the opinion that they don't mind government surveillance because they "have nothing to hide" Maybe if they were aware of the psy-op being performed against them it would help them to have a more reasonable reaction to government surveillance.

[Skep B]

I'm aware, I still don't particularly care that they're watching. If i were to plan to do something....non public friendly, I sure as hell wouldnt use the internet or openly talk about it on a phone line anyways.

[Orcseeker]

I'm aware, I still don't particularly care that they're watching. If i were to plan to do something....non public friendly, I sure as hell wouldnt use the internet or openly talk about it on a phone line anyways.

Non friendly and illegal are two different things.

[Skep B]

Same thought tho

If I were interested in doing something that the powers that be, wouldn't be happy about, I wouldn't use the internet as a means to help plan it.

[spud the mackem]

Fear as a form of control was used by Saddam in Iraq, and is used today by Kim Jong-Un and various other self elected Dictators including the various Mafia's you either conform to their wishes or you cease to exist. I can't see civilised Gov'ts using this form of control over their citizens.

[Bendy Demon]

Fear as a form of control was used by Saddam in Iraq, and is used today by Kim Jong-Un and various other self elected Dictators including the various Mafia's you either conform to their wishes or you cease to exist. I can't see civilised Gov'ts using this form of control over their citizens.

Too bad there aren't any.

All human civilizations employ the ol' "Do as I say or I will hurt you" routine.

It's done on a personal level all the way up to the top officials. Even all religions employ it because it reflects our collective desire to control others through whatever means we feel is "necessary".

[shadowghost]

Fear as a form of control was used by Saddam in Iraq, and is used today by Kim Jong-Un and various other self elected Dictators including the various Mafia's you either conform to their wishes or you cease to exist. I can't see civilised Gov'ts using this form of control over their citizens.

I agree but I sadly sad civilized government may have existed but no longer. Now the government spies on its own citizens to ensure its own safety. It is all a world of information and the fact is most information about or from our government is withheld. Which can be a good or a bad thing depending on what the information is. Take this example right now you have no idea when you will die and you go on excepting life. Now if you new exactly when you would die but not how wouldn't you probably run your life differently trying to make ever last second count. The fact is governments all around the world are this way some more then others. The fact is sometimes one person doesn't need to know everything.

[nothingman]

I'm aware, I still don't particularly care that they're watching. If i were to plan to do something....non public friendly, I sure as hell wouldnt use the internet or openly talk about it on a phone line anyways.

How would you do your planning? It's easy to say now that the internet is not secure against a powerful government. But what is? How would you plan secure from the prying ears of such a power? Consider that a rhetorical question as I don't want any such powers making the assinine assumption that I'm phishing for ways to plan something harmful or illegal.

Edited November 19, 2013 by nothingman

[Frank Merton]

Efficient, sane dictators with their hands on the levers of power, are almost impossible to dislodge nowadays without external intervention.