Abstract
The interest in the possibility of reconfiguring the human mind has been recurrent in the history of humanity, in different forms, mainly allied to religion, war, and politics. Only after 1950, however, did psychologists, psychiatrists, and other researchers dedicate themselves in greater depth to the topic, popularized by the generic term brainwashing. The aim of this paper is to review the theoretical-conceptual and methodological bases of these efforts, as well as their updated manifestation in social psychology, when one seeks to modify attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The uses of brainwashing to generate significant change through techniques of psychological pressure and physical torture, the myths of its implementation, and its (ir)reversibility, are critically analyzed.
Keywords
Brainwashing; Attitude change; Mind control