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psychological operations

From Department of Defense, for About.com

Definition: (DOD) Planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. The purpose of psychological operations is to induce or reinforce foreign attitudes and behavior favorable to the originator's objectives.

See also consolidation psychological operations; overt peacetime psychological operations programs; perception management.

Also Known As: PSYOP

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