The Fear Factor and its Consequences in Communication

by Dr. Debbe Deane

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In the field of communication, the ‘art’ of creating fear is a powerful motivator. Its use can be both ethical and unethical, depending on the messenger’s intent and the consequences for the intended individual or audience.  We are shaped by our decisions, behaviors related to our decisions, and our attitudes about them, and fear-based messages carry a particular influence.  

In the media world, fear is often used to attract attention and increase one’s engagement.  There’s a solid reason why sensational headlines, dramatic news stories and horror genres in entertainment capitalize on an audience’s fear response to pique interest and retain ratings through viewer’s preferences. In storytelling, fear of the unknown or unseen is commonly used to build suspense to keep audiences engaged and emotionally present. 

Fear as a factor can also be used to manipulate and propagandize.  There is a saying that is quite often effectively denoted by charismatic speakers: ‘If you say the same thing often enough, and long enough people will tend to believe you’.  This is not a new premise.  It is an old and tested strategy, whether the message conveyed is good or bad.  It comes down to ‘what do you want to embrace? Positive or negative messaging? Fear as a motivator is anything but a question.  It is precious and powerful. It can propel one toward the greater good, or despotism.  The choice is not anomalous. 

Fear through manipulation and propaganda creates an enemy through exaggeration of some external threat against a common foe to justify extreme actions or policies.  Most of us can relate to at least one such message that has impacted our lives in some way.  Through ‘otherizing’ our fellow citizens, fear-based messaging is often used as a means of de-humanization. As such, this stream of thought can lead to ‘radicalization’.  It does not take long either.  Those who use torture and mind games know it well. 

Fear is a superior messaging tool for spreading misinformation and can lead to creating panic or influencing public perception in a desired direction through false or exaggerated, misleading claims...radicalization as a reaction to this type of messaging leads to irrational responses, often with dire consequences for the public and for individuals who get sucked in to the vagaries of such diatribe. 

Take for instance, crisis communication. It emphasizes threats to public safety or personal well-being, serving to encourage us to take cover, take precautions to articulate the severity of a situation, e.g. (a pandemic, an active shooter, a natural disaster). Governments and organizations may want to protect us and ensure public cooperation. This is a rational emphasis to threats. Our body’s fight-or-flight system kicks in and there’s a near immediate response to protecting ourselves, our loved ones, and our property.  

Then, there is the social influence of communication in which group dynamics often are pitted against one another.  This can happen through a fear of rejection and/or stigmatization.  One only has to consider internet posts to see the daily impact of how many individuals view themselves through a harsh and unyielding lens, as they are sucked in to swallowing whole the opinions of others for fear of exclusion.  

 Peer pressure is a type of very effective communication because we don’t want to be ‘otherized’ for fear of being left out or judged.  This type of pressure can be used to stigmatize certain individuals’ behaviors, beliefs, groups, or ideas which may lead to people distancing themselves intentionally or unintentionally. In such instances, one may conform to a group’s norms even though they may not actually agree with those norms.   

Politics is often seen as a way to discourage people from associating with a particular group or idea.   Ideological battles can occur where one side communicates an air of fear just to paint the other side as dangerous, immoral, ignorant, less than human, less intelligent, less prosperous, lazy, etc. 

What is the upshot of this type of fear-based messaging?  Authoritative Communication, aka, control and compliance through institutional enforcement to ensure that compliance.  Warnings of severe penalties or punishments can instill fear, making individuals more likely to follow the rules and regulations. The communication of a fear-based message can include fear of job demotion or loss, social ostracism, sometimes used to maintain control and compliance or to suppress dissent.  This is often seen when workers want to unionize for better working conditions. 

Persuasion and influence are hallmarks in advertising too.  We are inundated daily with advertisements, whether on television, radio, or streaming internet sites.  Commercials commonly strike a chord of fear.  Fear of illness, fear of uncleanness, fear of death, fear of missing out on the latest/best product or service that there ever was under the sun. These messages convey urgency through psychological fear-based appeals to persuade us to take some action.  There’s a whole contingent of researchers called consumer psychologists who know just how to use fear-based ‘otherizing’ to motivate us to buy whatever it is that’s being sold as the best thing since sliced bread. 

Some fear-based messages are graphic, e.g., ads that show the health consequences of smoking. These messages create ‘necessary’ fear to discourage the habit. More often than not, however, fear-based messages in the form of commercials that dominate the daily media landscape employ other tactics to get us to buy, buy, buy. For example, nearly every product advertised within a 30-minute newscast (which is only about 19-20 minutes) includes many commercials which use fear-based strategies to convince viewers to buy certain products, foods, medicines, watchamacallits. The viewer is duped into a belief that FOMO (fear of missing out) is somehow going to mean a loss of something wanted or needed, even if it’s not. This mind trick uses terms like “limited time”, “only a few left”, or “call now” to play on a fear of loss.  Simple and yes, quite effective. This tactic is not new. It’s been around for a long time, and is a strategic tool to influence behavior, shape our perceptions, and achieve specific outcomes.  

In summary, fear is a powerful emotion that can significantly manipulate the mind and influence the triggering of a primal response that may lead a person to act irrationally.  It functions as a tool for manipulation by amplifying vulnerabilities through the magnification of perceived threats. When we’re afraid we’re more likely to seek protection or guidance, even if it means surrendering our autonomy or critical thinking.  This can lead to dependency since the manipulators can instill fear by presenting themselves as the ‘solution’ to the fear they’ve instilled.  They position themselves as indispensable.  They may use terms like “I alone can fix it.” or “follow me if you want ...” or “If you please me, (or do as I say) you will reap great rewards”.  

Charismatic individuals know this psychological strategy well and use it, often to suppress dissent and discourage questioning because they know that when people are afraid of consequences---whether social, financial, or physical---they’re less likely to speak out or challenge authority.  Fear can be used to divert attention from more pressing issues by luring one’s mind into considering other perspectives, or from even noticing manipulation tactics.   

Cognitively speaking, under the influence of fear the brain’s ability to process information rationally is greatly diminished.  The outcome?  Lack of critical analysis, impulsivity, and heightened emotionality (often in the form of violence to self or others).  This is then reinforced through repetition, which may lead to the belief that a threat is real and imminent.  This continuous ‘feedback loop’ makes it extremely difficult for a person or group to break free from a fear-based belief system.  

De-programmers know this feedback loop well, as they try to help those who have been affected by cults.  Individuals who employ such tactics know that fear thrives in uncertainty, and they often use ambiguous or uncertain situations to exaggerate potential dangers, leading those who follow them to a belief in worst-case scenarios.  An individual may then act irrationally, or irresponsibly out of fear, especially if they are already emotionally or psychologically fragile.  Lastly, remember that fear-based messaging taps into deep-seated emotional responses that override rational thought and decision-making.  This often leads us to act in ways that serve the interests of the manipulator rather than our own. 

*Dr. Debbe Deane holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, is a pioneering multi-award-winning former broadcast journalist, an educator, and motivational speaker. She is also a founding member of the Linguistic Communication Development Center.