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The dark side of psychology: Manipulation, mind control, and priming…
In the future it could get substantially scarier. There are already technologies that can be used to infer your mental state through a brain scan, and even to literally see (on a screen) the contents of your thoughts (this is nascent technology, but will improve). We also have ways of implanting behaviors or inducing abnormal mental states, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or (more scarily) ultrasound. It’s quite possible that these technologies will become more effective, selective, and widespread in the near future.
So, we’re all screwed right? Well, yes and no. Yes, in that none of us are able of predicting how we’ll act in difficult situations unless we get a chance to test ourselves (and most of us won’t or wouldn’t want to experience that sort of stress). Yes, in that a lot of the stuff that manipulates us happens at a level far removed from conscious attention, and we’re really good at pretending that our actions, even those highly ‘out of character’ were the result of our choices. But, no, if you learn to pay attention to your behaviors. Disciplined, conscious attention of your actions allows you to test who’s in control. If you notice yourself acting (or feeling tempted to act) in a way that might not be ‘you’, try and figure out what’s going on. Do you really want to act this way, or does it just feel like you should?
http://www.eclectic-consult.com/mooseblog/2013/03/04/the-dark-side-of-psychology-manipulation-mind-control-and-priming/