Customer Reviews

Coercive persuasion;: A socio-psychological analysis of the "brainwashing" of American civilian prisoners by the Chinese Communists

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This book dates from 1961 (!) so it is a classic. I red this book last year (2007) while I was in a course with Edgar Schein and the combined event made a big impression on me. Schein describes his clinical work with American civilians who were imprisoned by the Chinese Communist between 1950 and 1956 and he made some astonishing discoveries talking to them. Although their imprisonment was illegal and their treatment was brutal they made statements like: "I knew in my heart I was a spy" or "I was absolutely guilty."

Their beliefs and value systems were drastically altered by coercive means, they were "brainwashed". But the most innovative part of this study is that Schein unraveles why certain people were more open to this radical change in there believe systems than others and why it was permanent for some of them. This the groundbreaking work which gives insight in the individual change process and the role social environment plays in that. This is the foundation of all Schein's later work on change and organizational culture and that is already enough reason to read this classic.