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German Historical Institute London PodcastLectures, discussions and events at or organised by the German Historical Institute London Author: public_relations@ghil.ac.uk
Welcome to the podcast of the German Historical Institute London, a research centre for German and British academics and students in the heart of Bloomsbury. The GHIL is a research base for historians of all eras working on colonial history and global relations or the history of Great Britain and Ireland, and also provides a meeting point for UK historians whose research concerns the history of the German-speaking lands. In each podcast episode, ranging from interviews to lecture recordings, we take a look at historical research from different periods and areas. Subscribe to our podcast and visit our website at www.ghil.ac.uk to learn more about our research and work at the GHIL. Language: en-gb Genres: History, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Autosuggestion: On The Early History of Advertising Psychology
Friday, 14 August, 2026
In 1900, psychologist Harlow Stearns Gale published what is probably the earliest psychological study of advertising. His main interest was the process of convincing potential buyers by attracting their attention, suggesting a need and a product to satisfy it, and making its brand memorable. In this lecture, I will trace the historical background that made it seem necessary to stimulate consumption through new forms of advertising and thus motivated the psychotechnical modelling of consumer behaviour. I argue that to awaken and stabilize needs against the background of mass production and distance media, a new type of psychotechnology was required: autosuggestion.
