Let’s unpack some of love’s deepest secrets and discover what love is, and how and why we feel it.

From novels like Pride & Prejudice to plays like Romeo and Juliet and songs like “Can’t help falling in love”—it seems that love has always fascinated the <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychology-facts-about-human-behavior/">human mind </a>.   You might be thinking that everyone knows what love is—it’s the feeling you have for your partner, family and friends. However, as with all things in life, there’s more underneath the surface. For example, did you know that there are four types of love?

Love comes from our subconscious mind, containing ten times more information than our conscious mind, thus making love an uncontrollable feeling that we cannot get rid of.

1. The Science Behind Love

Oxytocin is the love hormone for a reason and gets released by your body once you embrace or cuddle with someone. The hormone is found in the brain and sexual organs and could contribute to the bonding process between two individuals.

2. Hugs and Cuddles

A common belief is that <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-men/">men </a>who kiss their wives in the morning live up to five years longer. Kissing sparks the brain’s pleasure centers, leaving you feeling euphoric throughout the day. A kiss from your loved one can lighten your mood and reduce stress, which is highly beneficial to your health.

3. A Kiss of Life

Love can be healing for couples with deep connections. If <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/intimate-questions-to-ask-your-partner/">your partner </a>is going through a rough patch, you can soothe them by holding their hand.

4. Holding Hands Affects the Body

Agape is a concept of love found in the Bible that describes God’s love for humankind and humankind’s love for God. The word “Agape” is of <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/facts-about-ancient-greece/">Greek origin </a>and is considered the highest form of love not only by Christians but by other religions too. <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-buddhism/">Buddhists </a>believe that Agape is the foundational love for all humanity.

5. Agape: Love of Humanity

Philia can describe the love of a long <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-relationships/">relationship </a>, a good friendship or familial bonds. This type of love can be comforting and make you experience more positive emotions.

6. Philia: Love of Friends and Equals

Storge is the love parents have for their children. Mothers are very familiar with this type of love as it comes naturally to them when they give birth. Storge can be seen as an unconditional love as parents (especially mothers) tend to love their children regardless of bad behavior.

7. Storge: Love of Parents for Children

Eros is a dangerous type of love fuelled by passion and can become addictive. Passionate love depends not on values and <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-personality/">personality </a>but sexual attractions and desires.

8. Eros: Erotic, Passionate Love

Love helps us feel safe and cared for. We need it to function in our everyday lives because we can’t reach our goals without assurance and support. Studies have shown that babies who do not receive nurturing and affection would later grow up to be psychologically damaged.

9. Why Do We Need Love?

How do you know when you’re in love? Here are some signs that might help you:   <ul><li>You feel giddy and nervous around them. </li><li>You can’t wait to see them again once they’ve left. </li><li>You don’t mind making sacrifices for them and would give up your time to see them. </li><li>You will feel sexually aroused by them. </li><li>You focus on the positive only. People in love are more likely to overlook negative behavior from their partner or <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-crushes/">new crush </a>. </li> </ul>

10. Signs That You Might Be in Love

An emotionally dependent relationship stems from neediness rather than true love. Emotionally dependent partners may think they’re in love, but they require attention, support and approval from their partner because of a lack of self-love.

11. Emotional Dependence vs Love

The process of love can be broken down into three stages which everyone will go through to discover their passion. The three stages of love are:   <ul><li>Stage 1 – Lust. </li><li>Stage 2 – Attraction. </li><li>Stage 3 – Attachment. </li> </ul>

13. The Three Levels of Love

According to psychology, <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-dreams/">dreams </a>reveal our deepest desires, secrets and <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/facts-about-anxiety/">fears and anxieties </a>. Love dreams can reveal many hidden truths about ourselves. For example, a dream about falling in love with a stranger could mean that you’re feeling unfulfilled. Or a love dream about your partner could mean that you have a strong connection.

14. Love Dreams

Infatuation is a fleeting but strong connection to someone or something, whereas love takes time to forge a deep relationship between two people.

15. Is There a Difference Between Infatuation and Love?

You can be in love with multiple people at the same time without <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-cheating/">cheating on your partner </a>depending on what type of love it is. You might still have a passion for an ex, or fall for someone new while you’re in a relationship. Also, love is complex, and it could have a different meaning for everyone. Some people are set on meeting the “one”, while others might embrace open <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-long-distance-relationships/">relationships </a>.

16. Can You Love More Than One Partner?

The earlier man could not love the way we do today. With the enlargement of our brains, we developed our cognitive abilities and communication skills. And with the growth of these skills and language, we became more self-aware, thus creating an awareness of love. As we evolved, so did love from its humble beginnings of a mother/infant bond.

17. The Evolution of Love

Here are the seven types of love:   <ul><li>Infatuation </li><li>Friendship </li><li>Companionate love </li><li>Romantic love </li><li>Consummate Love </li><li>Fatuous Love </li> </ul>

18. There Are Seven Types of Love

Men and women experience love differently; for example, men fall in love within 18 seconds, while it takes women up to 15 days. Research shows that women are less likely to initiate sex when they’re in love, and with men it’s the opposite. Other studies have found that men are more romantic and will likely say “I love you” first.

19. Gender and Love

Many animal species have monogamous relationships, like the seahorse, <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-bald-eagles/">bald eagle </a>, gibbon and gray wolf. Neuroscience research suggests that <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/facts-about-animals/">animals </a>can experience love, with attachment being a form of love, which means animals can develop a love for their owners.

20. Can Animals Love?

There are many cultural differences in love. Our differences in values, beliefs, and traditions impact how we perceive and experience love. For example, in <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/amazing-facts-about-india/">Indian culture </a>the needs and interests of the family precede that of the individual. Or, the Amish put their love for God and their community (Agape love) before any other type of love.

21. How do Different Cultures Love?

Your <a href="https://www.6seconds.org/emotional-intelligence/">emotional intelligence </a>(EQ) can affect how you receive and give love. A high EQ can help you with your emotional awareness, which will benefit and aid in a long-lasting relationship. Examples of a high EQ include the ability to share your feelings with others, showing empathy and being an excellent listener.

22. Emotional Intelligence and Love

Love can produce a lasting attraction which results in a deep connection. Lust is an uncontrollable desire to be with someone physically, and hormones rather than the mind cause it.

23. Lust vs Love

Researchers have discovered that your body releases hormones that suppress your appetite when you fall in love.

24. You Can Go on a “Love Diet.”

Falling in love can leave you with sleepless nights due to certain hormones released in the body during sexual endeavors and acts. The hormones will boost your mood and energy, making it harder to fall asleep.

25. Love May Give You Sleepless Nights

If couples spend over two days without any communication, it can cause them to feel a type of homesickness which is known as feeling lovesick.

26. A Case of Love Sick

Research suggests that the “love hormone” oxytocin can reduce the effects of a headache. So try hugging your partner instead of running to the medicine cabinet the next time you have a headache.

27. Love Can Help Relieve Pain

Love can help you to grow. A supportive partner will motivate you to reach your goals and fullest potential. But the wrong type of love can be harmful and keep you from prosperity. Many people will also adapt and change their behaviors or habits to accommodate their sweetheart.

28. People Change When They’re in Love

Love is like a drug, and it has similar neurological effects on the body as cocaine. Both love and cocaine induce a similar sense of euphoria.

29. High on Love

Psychology says that when we’re romantically involved with someone, our perception of them will be based on positive illusions rather than reality. Thus our judgment of character becomes suppressed when faced with a loved one; in our eyes, they’re perfect, and so love is blind.

30. Love is Blind

Your heart may skip a beat as you approach your beloved or crush, but that is just a side effect of everything in your brain. Studies revealed that several parts of your brain light up in response to looking at someone you love, which means that the brain is the keeper of love.

31. You Fall in Love With Your Brain, Not Your Heart

Oxytocin may make you feel warm and euphoric, but it also has a dark side. The love hormone can lead to emotional pain. For example, when the body has elevated oxytocin levels due to you being in love, it can trigger negative feelings like jealousy and agitation.

32. Love Has a Dark Side

A couple’s heart rates can synchronize after gazing into each other’s eyes for longer than three minutes, resulting in many corny lyrics such as “our hearts they beat as one”.

33. Heart Rates Synchronize

Chocolate contains a component that has the same euphoric effect that love has on the body. So the two combined can result in a love frenzy, which is why chocolate became the top gift to give to our better halves.

34. Have Plenty of Chocolate on Your First Date

Strangers can fall in love with each other by maintaining eye contact. When someone is staring at you, your body releases the same feel-good chemical found in chocolate.

35. Eye Contact

Falling in love happens quickly, and trust and loyalty take time. It takes only a few seconds or minutes for the subconscious to decide if you are in love.

36. You Can Fall in Love in Under Four Minutes

Some love experts say that too many similarities may cause couples to clash, while others argue that similarities can bring two people closer together. It is more about time and trust than having the same likes or interests—having something in common should be a bonus and not a determining factor in a relationship.

37. Do Opposites Attract?

Love can make you do silly things you wouldn’t normally do. Sexual desires can affect your critical thinking and rationality, leading you to do questionable things.

38. Dumb in Love

Love evolves from romance to commitment throughout a long-term relationship at some point. So once the honeymoon phase is over, you’ll discover if your partner is ready for commitment.

39. Romance vs Commitment

Heartbreaks can hurt just as badly as physical pain. After losing a loved one, you can suffer from a condition known as “broken heart syndrome”, and it mainly affects women. What’s even scarier is that a broken heart can lead to death.

40. Heartbreaks

Some research has found that when we’re reminded of our loved ones, it could improve our abstract thinking, boosting our creative abilities.

41. Love Can Increase Your Creativity

Relationship OCD causes some people to act out behaviors associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder toward their relationship and partner.

42. Love and OCD

Neuroscientists have discovered a link between strong, passionate feelings and a decline in cognitive control, which means that love can take your focus away from many other things.

43. Love Can Be Distracting

If you were wondering if someone is into you, all you have to do is look at their body language. If someone cannot keep their eyes off you or won’t stop smiling around you, chances are they find you attractive.

44. Body Language

When you’re falling in love, the butterflies you feel are an actual sensation caused by an adrenaline rush.

45. Butterflies

You know you are falling for someone when you do either one of these things:   <ul><li>You daydream about moments with them. </li><li>You come up with possible date ideas. </li><li>You feel like a better person and can’t stop smiling. </li><li>You feel their pain and constantly worry for them. </li><li>You’re more affectionate and crave sex more. </li> </ul>

46. Signs You Are Falling in Love

How do you know you’re falling in love with the right person? There is no perfect match, but some people are better suited for each other, making them feel that they’ve met their <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/psychological-facts-about-soulmates/">soulmate </a>.

47. Do Soulmates Exist?

We often prefer to share the music we cherish dearly with those we love. Music and emotion seem to have a compelling cohesion, and when you listen to love songs, it will intensify the passion you feel for someone.

48. Love and Music

Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between a crush and love. It comes down to time; a crush can die quickly based on physical attraction. On the other hand, love takes time to grow, and it does so based on trust, honesty, affection and other deeper qualities.

49. Crush vs Love

Psychologists say that two basic types of love are compassionate and passionate. Compassionate love draws from mutual respect and understanding, whereas passionate love draws from sexual desires, intense emotions and anxiety.

50. Two Types of Love

Getting over someone could take weeks or even months, depending on how meaningful the relationship was to you. Psychology states five stages of grieving after a break-up: denial, anger, bargaining, <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-depression/">depression </a>, and acceptance.

51. How Long Does it Take to Get Over a Lost Love?

Some psychologists’ theories suggest that the process of love is similar to how children become attached to their parents. Studies reveal that those who have had bad childhood experiences with their parents would later seek a love interest that could replace the “normal” bond that was supposed to have formed between parents and children.

52. Parental Issues and Love

Throughout <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/facts-about-history/">history </a>, “love potions” were created with a person’s sweat to try and draw in their crush. That is because you’re more likely drawn to the scent of the person you find attractive—a subconscious act that helps the brain decide whether you love someone.

53. Love Potions

Not everyone wants to love or feel loved—a fact that might be hard to believe. However, some people have a fear of love. This intense fear is known as Philophobia. The fear of love can be caused by past traumatic relationships, infidelity, heartbreak, abuse and betrayal.

54. A Fear of Love

Love is a vital aspect of the human experience; it has caused <a href="https://www.newinterestingfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-world-war-2/">wars </a>, inspired art forms, it created life, family, friends and bonds that make us feel happy. After all, we are social beings, so to many of us, including some psychologists, love is an essential thing to exist.

55. Love is What Matters Most

55 Fascinating Psychology Facts About Love - Most People Don't Know 

ou might be thinking that everyone knows what love is—it’s the feeling you have for your partner, family and friends. However, as with all things in life, there’s more underneath the surface. Here are 55 psychology facts about love most people don't know

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55 Fascinating Psychology Facts about Love (2022) Most People Don't Know I Interesting Facts

In warfare, psychological warfare refers to tactics intended to reduce an opponent’s morale and will to fight. This can include tactics related to fear and intimidation, deception, and surprise. Militaries have long used psychological warfare to gain an advantage over opponents, allowing them to accomplish more without risking their soldiers’ lives or valuable armaments. Psychological warfare can also be used during peacetime to intimidate rivals into delaying or abandoning military intervention.

In warfare, psychological warfare refers to tactics intended to reduce an opponent’s morale and will to fight. This can include tactics related to fear and intimidation, deception, and surprise. Militaries have long used psychological warfare to gain an advantage over opponents, allowing them to accomplish more without risking their soldiers’ lives or valuable armaments. Psychological warfare can also be used during peacetime to intimidate rivals into delaying or abandoning military intervention. Here we will look at both the ancient and modern eras of psychological warfare and how various militaries gained powerful advantages over opponents, even when they were militarily weaker. Today, psychological warfare, or ‘psyops’ is a common tool of modern military planning.

As the tallest terrestrial animal on the planet, few creatures are as intimidating as an elephant. Add body armor and some blades or spikes to tusks, and you have a fearsome battle beast! Used in Africa and India, both African and Asian elephants were incorporated into armies. In India, <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/animals-used-in-war/">war elephants </a>were so common that they were entire corps of militaries. While not completely invincible, an elephant could easily sweep individual soldiers aside by swinging its massive head. Famously, horses were often intimidated by larger elephants and could refuse to charge into battle facing them.

Ancient Psyops 1: War Elephants

However, the psychological warfare inflicted on opponents by war elephants could be countered. Famously, <a href="https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/09/15/ancient-rome-flaming-war-pigs-used-counter-elephants/?chrome=1&A1c=1">flaming pigs </a>were used to terrify war elephants, which could turn around and trample their own soldiers in an attempt to escape. If an elephant panicked, it could cause almost as much damage to its own troops as the enemy! Thus, using war elephants was a high-risk strategy. Although the Romans successfully overcame war elephants–<a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/gladiators/elephantus.html">at tremendous cost </a>–when fighting the Egyptians and Carthaginians, they came to adopt some for themselves, although mainly for entertainment and spectacle.

Over a thousand years after war elephants terrified the Romans, the cavalry forces of the Mongol Empire terrified cities from the Pacific Ocean to present-day Ukraine. The Mongols used effective psychological warfare against targeted cities by <a href="https://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/12.1/forum_may.html">offering a deal </a>: surrender and pay tribute to the Mongol Empire or face total destruction. The offer of a relatively generous deal made the prospect of brutal combat against highly trained and disciplined Mongol forces that much more painful.

Ancient Psyops 2: Mongol Deal-Making

As a result, many cities and fortresses chose to become vassal states of the Mongol Empire–taxation rather than combat. To help ensure that most decided to surrender, the Mongols made sure to leave some survivors of each massacre who could spread the word of how brutal the Mongols could be.

The Mongols expanded much more rapidly by being able to pacify potential foes with their deal-making. Similarly, cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar in Colombia in the 1980s used the deal of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/ad/cocainenomics#:~:text=Escobar's%20challenge%20was%20simple%3A%20%E2%80%9CPlata,lobbyists%20and%20paying%20regulatory%20fines.">plata o plomo </a>(silver or lead) to convince many law enforcement officials to turn a blind eye to his illegal activities.

By offering the proverbial carrot or stick, Escobar benefited when most potential opponents chose the carrot. Like the Mongols, this allowed Escobar to expand rapidly and avoid armed conflicts that could have taken him down sooner. But just like how the Mongol Empire eventually fell apart, so did Escobar’s drug empire. The drug lord was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-killed-notorious-colombian-drug-kingpin-pablo-escobar-2016-12">shot dead </a>on December 2, 1993, while fleeing police in Medellin, Colombia.

If challenged, the Mongols had the military might to conquer virtually any foe and could be plenty brutal about it. However, <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/vlad-the-impaler/">Vlad the Impaler </a>takes the term “brutality” to another level entirely. In 1456, at about age 25, <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/vlad-the-impaler-military-campaigns/">Vlad III of Walachia </a>defeated his primary rival for leadership, Vladislav II, in hand-to-hand combat and became the leader of the Transylvania region of present-day Romania. He ruthlessly executed just about anyone he did not like, ranging from petty criminals to potential political rivals and their families.

Ancient Psyops 3: Vlad the Impaler’s Showmanship

amously, he used impaling as his favored punishment, possibly learned during his childhood with the Ottoman Turks.Having victims impaled on vertical poles allowed Vlad to visually intimidate potential foes. Despite his brutality, Vlad was tolerated–and even celebrated–throughout Europe for militarily defeating and otherwise terrifying the Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. Famously, invading Ottoman sultan Mehmed II turned back when he encountered thousands of impaled bodies outside the city of Targoviste. Vlad’s sickening showmanship prevented a bloody showdown…at least that time. Later, Vlad the<warningtag> Impaler’s violent ways ended with his own violent death in 1476, when he was ambushed and beheaded on his way into battle.</warningtag>

Having victims impaled on vertical poles allowed Vlad to visually intimidate potential foes. Despite his brutality, Vlad was tolerated–and even celebrated–throughout Europe for militarily defeating and otherwise terrifying the Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. Famously, invading Ottoman sultan Mehmed II turned back when he encountered thousands of impaled bodies outside the city of Targoviste. Vlad’s sickening showmanship prevented a bloody showdown…at least that time. Later, Vlad the Impaler’s violent ways ended with his own violent death in 1476, when he was ambushed and beheaded on his way int<warningtag>o battle.</warningtag>

During the late 1890s, Britain wanted to unite all of South Africa into one colony. Inland, the Boer republics, of primarily Dutch heritage, resisted the influx of British people. In the autumn of 1899, war erupted between the British Empire and the much smaller, but highly skilled and determined Boer republics. The Boers laid siege to several British towns and garrisons and upset the military reinforcements who came to relieve them, which shocked the world. Using modern weapons and guerrilla tactics, the Boers were able to outmaneuver British forces that were used to fighting poorly armed natives. One of the forts that the Boers besieged was Mafeking, where the roles were reversed. Here, a handful of British soldiers used <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6239805/Army-officers-harrowing-account-ill-fated-attempt-liberate-British-troops-Boer-War.html">clever deceptions </a>to trick the surrounding Boers into thinking the garrison was more heavily defended. The Brits, including the future founder of the Scouting movement, Robert Baden-Powell, pretended to establish minefields and barbed-wire fences, which convinced the Boers not to attack. After 217 days, British reinforcements arrived and broke the siege in May 1900.

Modern Psyops 1: Boer War & Siege of Mafeking

The Brits, including the future founder of the Scouting movement, Robert Baden-Powell, pretended to establish minefields and barbed-wire fences, which convinced the Boers not to attack. After 217 days, British reinforcements arrived and broke the siege in May 1900.

While most people are familiar with the use of propaganda to bolster support for a war on the home front, <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/political-impact-of-word-war-i-ww1/">World War I </a>saw the use of anti-war propaganda intended to sap enemy morale and convince them to surrender. Already suffering from the industrialized war that saw the wide-scale introduction of machine guns, modern artillery, poison gas warfare, and even <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/why-were-tanks-invented/">the first armored tanks </a>, German troops were bombarded with leaflets announcing their efforts were futile. Some German troops surrendered and <a href="https://sofrep.com/news/the-history-of-u-s-psychological-operations-precursor-in-the-great-war-part-2/">asked for the rations </a>promised in the leaflets, perhaps hastening the war’s end.

Modern Psyops 2: World War I Propaganda & Leaflets

Future wars saw the use of propaganda leaflets on both sides. They could be dropped by planes or <a href="https://info.publicintelligence.net/GermanPropagandaLeaflets.pdf">released from artillery shells </a>. World War II saw both Axis and Allied powers try to convince soldiers from the other side to surrender and that they were being used as pawns for the elites. In addition to leaflets, both Germany and Japan used <a href="https://everything-everywhere.com/tokyo-rose-and-axis-sally/">English-speaking radio broadcasts </a>as propaganda. Both Allied and Axis broadcasts (and leaflets) tried to reduce enemy morale by claiming that the war was going according to plan for their side.

After World War I, Germany was forced to disarm. In the early 1930s, Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and embarked on a policy of rearming the nation. Part of the Nazis’ aesthetic was massive rallies that featured displays of strength and vigor, intended to both inspire Germans and intimidate potential foes. Famously, the rallies featured over a hundred powerful searchlights aimed at the sky.

Modern Psyops 3: Nazi Rallies Fake Military Might

This <a href="https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/07/05/swimming-in-searchlights-the-cathedral-of-light-of-the-nazi-rallies/?chrome=1&A1c=1">cathedral of light </a>used most of Germany’s searchlights, but their use at political rallies tricked nations like France and Britain into believing that Germany must have had many more not in use.The use of Nazi rallies and aggressive propaganda likely led to Britain and France not trying to check Germany’s rearmament. Germany re-occupied the Rhineland and took control of Czechoslovakia <a href="https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-britain-hoped-to-avoid-war-with-germany-in-the-1930s#:~:text=Instituted%20in%20the%20hope%20of,as%20a%20policy%20of%20weakness.">in 1938 </a>.

In retrospect, Germany was not militarily prepared to fight France and Britain in 1938, and the appeasement shown to Germany at <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/the-munich-agreement-ww2/">the Munich Conference </a>only led Europe further down the path to World War II. However, the Nazis’ skillful propaganda during the 1930s convinced many that it was ready and willing to fight and win.

While World War I saw largely static trench warfare for much of the conflict, especially on the Western Front in France, <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/political-effects-of-world-war-ii-cold-war/">World War II </a>was much more maneuverable and complex. After the D-Day invasion of France in June 1944, the US used ghost armies of lightweight, artificial equipment, including inflatable tanks, to fool the enemy. In addition to physical decoys, ghost army units also used fake radio chatter and <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-ghost-army-of-wwii-used-art-to-deceive-the-nazis-180980336/">sounds of military action on loudspeakers </a>to convince the Germans that forces were elsewhere than they actually were…or much larger than they actually were.

Modern Psyops 4: Ghost Armies vs. Nazi Saboteurs

Believing they were facing large units up to 35-40 times their actual size, the Germans chose to disengage rather than fight, potentially saving tens of thousands of Allied troops.However, the Germans had their own tools of psychological warfare. In late 1944, as Germany planned a final major offensive to re-take lost territory in France and Belgium, it enlisted commando leader Otto Skorzeny to run an <a href="http://www.wiu.edu/cas/history/wihr/pdfs/BednarWIHRSp09.pdf">ambitious sabotage operation </a>.

Skorzeny, famous for rescuing imprisoned Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in September 1943, was a feared opponent. Operation Greif was intended to sow fear and confusion in the American lines during the Ardennes Offensive by implanting German agents in American uniforms who were fluent in English. These agents could then destroy equipment, plant false information, and basically run amok. Discovery that this was occurring did lead to temporary panic among US forces, but fortunately had little effect on the military situation.

After its unsuccessful Ardennes Offensive, known in the United States as the <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/ernest-hemingway-battle-of-the-bulge-ww2/">Battle of the Bulge </a>, there was only one possible way for Germany to end the war in anything other than total defeat: <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/wunderwaffe-super-weapons-ww2/">Wunderwaffe </a>. These “wonder weapons” were high-tech aeronautical wonders that included the Me-262 fighter jet, Me-263 rocket fighter, V-1 jet-powered buzz bomb, and V-2 long-range rocket. From <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140905-the-nazis-space-age-rocket">September 1944 </a>until late in the war, the V-2 rocket inflicted painful gouges on the London landscape. The V-2 was terrifying because it was supersonic and unstoppable; it could not be heard coming and could not be intercepted.

Modern Psyops 5: Nazi  Wunderwaffe

The V-2 was terrifying because it was supersonic and unstoppable; it could not be heard coming and could not be intercepted.Although the V-2 only killed some 2,700 people in Britain, it was feared that the V-2 could potentially be launched from ships in the Atlantic at American cities. While Germany undoubtedly hoped that fear of its Wunderwaffe would bring the Allies to the negotiating table, it likely only increased their resolve to push for unconditional surrender.

Ultimately, the capture of Me-262 fighter jets and V-2 rockets at the end of World War II in Europe greatly advanced aeronautic technology in the United States.

While espionage has long been a part of war, few were more active in modern espionage than the Soviet Union. At the end of World War II, it was revealed that spies had helped the Soviet Union gain secrets from <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/what-was-the-manhattan-project/">the Manhattan Project </a>. Active Soviet spy rings helped the USSR develop its <a href="https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1942-1945/espionage.htm">own atomic bomb </a>by 1949, erasing the American “trump card” that it had held. It was revealed in <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP15CH1PA1LE.html">late 1945 </a>that Soviet spying was not limited to atomic secrets but general classified information as well.

Modern Psyops 6: Espionage Rings & Red Scare

In 1952, it was discovered that a wooden carving of the Great Seal of the United States <a href="https://www.cryptomuseum.com/covert/bugs/thing/#:~:text=The%20Thing%2C%20also%20known%20as,have%20its%20own%20power%20source.">given to the US ambassador </a>by the USSR contained a listening device.The early <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/sociocultural-effects-of-the-cold-war/">Cold War </a>saw a sweeping hysteria about communist infiltration of American society. This Second Red Scare of the late 1940s and early 1950s saw politicians investigate alleged communist links of fellow politicians, government employees, and media figures.

The communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, resulting in the rise of Red China, only amplified tensions. When communist North Korea invaded South Korea a year later, resulting in the US leading a military response in the Korean War, fear of communism grew further. Fortunately, none of the espionage–real and suspected–led to war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

After the Korean War, America next took up arms against communists in Vietnam a decade later. This time, the conflict mainly saw guerrilla warfare in a jungle environment rather than conventional warfare. Both the US military and the North Vietnamese military (and their Viet Cong guerrilla allies) looked for psychological warfare advantages to sap the morale of their enemies. The US used spooky tape recordings in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2021/11/radiolab-mixtape-vietnam-war-psychological-warfare/620814/">Operation Wandering Soul </a>to play on the superstitions of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers, hoping to get them to desert their positions.

Modern Psyops 7: Spooky Recordings vs. Booby Traps

Success was mixed, with enemy soldiers sometimes discovering the ruse and firing on the speakers or the recordings, spooking South Vietnamese soldiers and civilians as well as the intended targets.For their part, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong also played on Americans’ anxieties.

They used deadly booby traps to sap soldiers’ morale. Knowing that you could be maimed or killed anywhere, even with no sign of an enemy present, made many soldiers question the war effort. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1971/09/05/archives/army-is-shaken-by-crisis-in-morale-and-discipline-army-is-shaken-by.html">Between 1966 and 1971 </a>, US military morale plummeted as the Vietnam War dragged on, and little seemed to be accomplished. Some soldiers in Vietnam turned to illegal drug use to cope with continual anxiety and harsh conditions.

While much of psychological warfare is intended to frighten or deceive an enemy, some is just intended to tire them out. In December 1989, the <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/invasion-of-panama-operation-just-cause/">US invaded Panama </a>to oust drug-dealing dictator Manuel Noriega, whose police forces had just brutalized and threatened Americans in the country. With 13,000 American soldiers already in Panama thanks to the American-controlled Panama Canal, the additional 13,000 troops brought in during the swift invasion had little trouble defeating Noriega’s forces. But Noriega himself managed to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/30/530723028/how-the-u-s-military-used-guns-n-roses-to-make-a-dictator-give-up">flee to the Vatican City embassy </a>in Panama City.

Modern Psyops 8: Loud Music Breaks Enemies’ Will

Storming a foreign embassy is a sociopolitical no-go, so the US had little choice but to wait and see. To break Noriega’s will, the military blasted hard rock at full volume at the embassy. Sure enough, Noriega eventually surrendered. The US continued using loudspeaker psyops during the Gulf War (1990-91), using Humvee-mounted speakers to convince Iraqi soldiers to surrender. A notable success was a combined loudspeaker and leaflet effort <a href="https://www.ausa.org/sites/default/files/LPE-97-3-Psychological-Operations-in-Desert-Shield-Desert-Storm-and-Urban-Freedom.pdf">convincing 1,400 Iraqi soldiers </a>to surrender to a much smaller force of US Marines.

In early 1991, Operation Desert Storm commenced with a massive <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/shock-and-awe-how-first-gulf-war-shook-world-171659">US-led bombing campaign </a>against Iraq. The mass coordination of computer- and satellite-guided smart weapons decimated Iraqi military targets. This swift campaign featuring the most modern military technology became known as “shock and awe,” with enemy forces having little hope of defending themselves with obsolete, Soviet-era weapons. The speed, precision, and impact of expensive American air weapons convinced many Iraqi forces to surrender quickly when ground forces rolled in.

Modern Psyops 9: Shock and Awe Air Wars

The US repeated its shock and awe air attacks in Afghanistan after September 11 and in Iraq again in early 2003. In both cases, the enemy surrendered quickly: the Taliban regime in Afghanistan put up little organized resistance, and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein saw his forces surrender en masse after the <a href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/iraq-war">US invasion in March 2003 </a>. Shock and awe undoubtedly helped demoralize these enemy forces, both of which were touted beforehand as hardened fighters. Few things can frighten an enemy like showing you can strike fast and hard without being hit back in return.

Not all psychological warfare is intended to hurt enemy soldiers. Some, such as Winning Hearts and Minds initiatives, can help US forces by appealing to local civilian populations. If locals begin to sympathize and side with American troops, enemy forces will have fewer resources to work with. From false shows to strength to undetectable booby traps to spooky and anxiety-inducing audio recordings, there is a myriad of ways to wear an enemy down by keeping them constantly guessing.

Summary: Keeping the Enemy on Their Toes Can Exhaust Their Will to Fight

Soldiers can handle tremendous odds, but the anxiety of not knowing what sort of threat is coming can wear down even the toughest warrior.Today, psychological warfare, or psyops, is a regular part of all military planning. The US Army has <a href="https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/special-ops/psychological-operations.html">posted positions </a>in this field, ideally for those skilled in communications and diplomacy. Those with extra skills, such as foreign language skills, may be recruited to do psyops as part of <a href="https://goarmysof.com/PsyOp/PsyOprecruiting.html">special forces </a>.

Whenever there are potential foes, you can be assured that the US military and intelligence communities are analyzing ways to psychologically weaken and intimidate them.

12 Psychological Warfare Strategies Used Throughout History 

Throughout history, militaries have used various strategies of psychological warfare to lure enemies into traps, without physical force.

12 Psychological Warfare Strategies Used Throughout History

The philosopher Aristotle described what it means to be emotionally intelligent hundreds of years before the term became popular. He said: "Anyone can become angry—that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not easy." The quote perfectly sums up a concept that has become a hot topic in psychology, education, and business: emotional intelligence. People sometimes refer to emotional intelligence as EQ (emotional quotient).

Emotionally intelligent people have a number of habits and behaviors that contribute to their ability to manage their own <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-emotions-2795178">emotions </a>and understand the feelings of others. Do you know anyone who is keenly attuned to their own feelings, capable of expressing emotions in an appropriate way, as well as empathetic and understanding of how others are feeling? That person is probably a very emotionally intelligent individual.

<ul><li>The ability to perceive emotions</li><li>The ability to reason with emotions</li><li>The ability to understand emotions</li><li>The ability to manage emotions</li></ul>The first item, perceiving emotions, is considered the most basic or the first level of emotional intelligence. The skills progress to the last item, managing emotions, which is considered the highest level of emotional intelligence. This involves the ability to manage your emotions and the emotions of others.

Four Skills for Emotional Intelligence

Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman identifies <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-awareness-2795023">self-awareness </a>as one of the key <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/components-of-emotional-intelligence-2795438">components of emotional intelligence </a>.Self-awareness involves the ability to recognize moods, emotions, and feelings.Part of self-awareness also involves being aware of how your emotions and moods influence other people. This ability to monitor your own emotional states is a basic requirement for emotional intelligence.

1. Self-Awareness

<a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-empathy-2795562">Empathy </a>is another of Goleman's major elements of emotional intelligence. This involves the ability to understand the emotions of other people.In order to interact with other people in multiple life domains, such as at <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/utilizing-emotional-intelligence-in-the-workplace-4164713">work </a>or at school, you need to be able to know what they are feeling. If a co-worker is upset or frustrated, knowing what they are feeling can give you a much better idea of how to respond.

2. Empathy

Self-regulation is central to emotional intelligence. Understanding your emotions is great, but not particularly useful if you cannot make use of this knowledge. Emotionally intelligent people think before they act on their feelings. They are in tune with how they feel, but they do not let their emotions rule their lives.

3. Self-Regulation

Emotionally intelligent people are motivated to achieve their goals. They are capable of managing their behaviors and feelings in order to achieve long-term success.They might be nervous about making a change in their lives, but they know that managing this fear is important. By taking a leap and making the change, they know that they might make their lives better and come one step closer to attaining their goals.

4. Motivation

Emotionally intelligent people tend to have strong social skills, probably because they are so attuned to their own feelings as well as those of others. They know how to deal with people effectively, and they are invested in maintaining healthy social relationships and helping those around them succeed.

5. Social Skills

Sometimes people are <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-empath-and-how-do-you-know-if-you-are-one-5119883">empaths </a>and in tune with their emotions, but struggle to actually share these feelings with others. Emotionally intelligent people not only understand feelings, they know how to express them appropriately.What exactly do we mean by appropriately ? Imagine, for example, that you just had a particularly awful day at work. You are tired, frustrated, and angry about how things went at an important meeting. An inappropriate expression of your feelings might involve coming home and getting into an argument with your spouse or sending a nasty email to your boss.

6. Expressiveness

A more appropriate emotional reaction would be discussing your frustrations with your spouse, releasing some tension by going for a jog, and coming up with a plan to make the next day better than the one before.

Imagine that you find yourself getting frustrated and angry with a co-worker. As you assess your feelings, analyze what you're really upset about. Are you mad about your co-worker’s actions, or does your anger stem from underlying frustrations and pressure from a boss who has heaped too much work and responsibility on your shoulders?

7. Perceptiveness

Emotionally intelligent people are able to look at the situation and correctly identify the true source of their feelings. At first, this might seem like an easy task, but the reality is that our emotional lives can be both complicated and messy. Locating the exact source of your feelings can be particularly tricky when you are dealing with powerful emotions such as love and anger.

Contrary to popular belief, you can learn emotional intelligence. Children and adults alike can learn to strengthen EQ.To start, try reflecting on your level of self-awareness. For instance, are you aware of your emotions? Do you understand how your emotions impact your beliefs and your behaviors? Do you notice how your behaviors impact others around you?Becoming aware of how we think and feel, and how our actions affect others, is a great foundation for building emotional intelligence.

How to Become More Emotionally Intelligent

<a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/mindfulness-the-health-and-stress-relief-benefits-3145189">Mindfulness techniques </a>can help you become more present with your thoughts and emotions. For instance, instead of yelling at someone when you're upset, you might use a deep breathing technique to buy yourself some time, rethink your strategy, and react with more understanding.

Mindfulness Techniques 

<a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cognitive-behavior-therapy-2795747">Cognitive behavioral therapy </a>(CBT) is linked with improving emotional intelligence as well. CBT is a form of therapy in which people learn emotional regulation. A therapist will teach you healthy coping mechanisms to use to handle difficult emotions and improve your relationships.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

7 Habits of Emotionally Intelligent People 

Learn about the habits that help emotionally intelligent people manage their own emotions and understand the emotions of others.

7 Habits of Emotionally Intelligent People

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