Mind shaping

Mind shaping or mindshaping in the context of social cognition means socializing individuals in ways that make human populations more homogeneous. It relies on man's capacities and dispositions to imitate, to be natural learners, and to conform to and enforce social norms.^[1][2][3][4]

In derived usage, mindshaping is a euphemistic term frequently used in marketing^[5] and management context for the active and on-purpose shaping of consumer's minds through any of the following, often for long-term influencing of customer behaviour for the mind shaper's profit:

• experiential and social marketing^[6]
• customer relationship management
• indoctrination
• persuasion
  • persuasion techniques
• subliminal suggestion
• brainwashing

Instead of active influence through others, there are also a number of self-help techniques that are marketed and sold with the promise to help the customer alter his or her mindset towards a better (more relaxed, ambitious, etc.) attitude through meditation, self-suggestion, etc.^[7]

See also

• Social influence
• How to Win Friends and Influence People

References

1. Zawidzki, Tadeusz Wiesław (2013). Mindshaping - A New Framework for Understanding Human Social Cognition. ISBN 9780262019019.
2. Mameli, M. 2001. Mindreading, mindshaping, and evolution. Biology and Philosophy 16: 597 – 628
3. Zawidzki, T. (2008). "The function of folk psychology: mind reading or mind shaping?". Philosophical Explorations. 11 (3): 193 – 210.
4. Zawidzki, Tadeusz. "Theory of Mind, Computational Tractability, and Mind Shaping" (PDF).
5. "Executing mind-shaping media campaigns - Valcort - Strategic Marketing & Brand Building". Valcort - Strategic Marketing & Brand Building.
6. "mindshape.com". Retrieved 2016-04-12.
7. The Mind Coach: Be the person you really want to be by Jamil Qureshi