The term "Operational psychology" can have several different meanings in various contexts:

1. Operational psychology in psychological science: This is a branch of psychology that studies the mental processes and psychological aspects related to operational and technical activity. Operational psychology may study, for example, the perception and attention of operators in complex technical environments, such as vehicle control or the management of complex technical systems.

2. Operational psychology in practice: This can also refer to the application of psychological principles and methods in operational activity, such as crisis management, law enforcement, and security. Operational psychology can be used to train law-enforcement officers, manage stress in emergency situations, and address other tasks related to operational work.

For a more precise understanding of exactly which context and tools of "Operational psychology" are being discussed, additional details need to be clarified.

One can influence a person's mind and behavior in various ways, some of which require only the specialist's particular training (persuasion, suggestion, bribery...), while others also require special equipment (technotronic techniques, sexual operations, zombification...).

Methods of targeted influence can be gentle (suggestion...) or aggressive (blackmail), simple (intimidation...) or elaborate (zombification...), difficult to detect (neurolinguistic programming...) or complementary (pharmacological control...).

The choice of method used depends on:

- the real vulnerability of the target (traits of their character, episodes of their biography, the current situation...);

- the goal of the planned influence (changing their thinking, recruiting them to cooperate, obtaining information, one-time assistance, corrective punishment...);

- one's own capabilities (having time, skill, knowledge, technical equipment, the proper chemical agents, competent assistants...);

- the personal attitudes of the operative (their level of moral tolerance...).

In practice, the following are most often used:

- persuasion;

- suggestion;

- hypnosis;

- neurolinguistic programming;

- narcotic influence;

- sexual operations;

- pharmacological control;

- technotronic techniques (ultrasound, infrasound, microwave radiation, electric shock, subliminal stimulation, torsion radiation...);

- zombification;

- bribery;

- intimidation;

- torture...

Some of the noted methods were outlined in other sections (NLP...); here we will examine the rest.

Methods of influence

Persuasion

Starting the conversation, relieving tension, sparking interest.

When entering into a conversation, one must avoid:

- apologies and other displays of uncertainty;

- a boring opening;

- showing the slightest disrespect toward the interlocutor;

- getting straight down to business immediately.

To relieve tension and gain trust, it is useful to:

- have an appearance (clothing, headwear, hairstyle...) and facial expression pleasing to your counterpart;

- address the interlocutor by name, leaning slightly toward them during the conversation;

- offer a couple of compliments about the target's excellent taste, reputation, and business abilities;

- tell a joke (anecdote) that makes the interlocutor laugh sincerely.

To strengthen interest in the conversation, you can:

- ask non-alarming questions (professional, everyday, hobby-related) that the subject will gladly want to answer;

- speak from the standpoint of the interlocutor's interests, or touch on a topic clearly related to their problems...

Steering the conversation in the needed direction

- by drawing on associations, build a bridge between the opening, the hook, and the idea being pushed;

- describe some everyday observation, a street-level assessment, or an anecdotal case, linking it as if in passing to the desired subject;

- mention a few questions important to the partner, which, through a proper shift of emphasis, relate to the intended topic.

Choosing arguments appropriate to the target's personality and mood:

- the idea being conveyed must always find its way not only to the target's reason, but also to their emotions;

- the material for argumentation is selected depending on the type (imaginative vs. logical) together with the quality (flexible, rigid, conformist, independent...) of the interlocutor's thinking;

- it makes sense to use only those arguments which, given the person's personal attitudes, way of thinking, intelligence, and available information, they are capable of grasping;

- during persuasion it is desirable to use both abstract conclusions and vivid concrete facts, which make it easier to convince those who lack abstract thinking;

- with conformists, references to authorities, colorful flowery phrases, and an emphasis on a sense of community with others work well;

- for a person with independent thinking, logical justification is used, with a hint at the possibility of personal gain, both moral and material;

- with noticeable rigidity of thinking, it is promising to stir up emotions while relying on empirical facts.

Establishing the rhythm of the conversation and the order of presenting arguments

- you must firmly believe in the truth of what you want to convince others of, for people subconsciously sense the speaker's attitude toward what is being said, and any falseness is off-putting;

- the rhythm of speech should be fairly even and adjusted to the interlocutor's breathing rate;

- to begin with, ensure that you and the target have the same understanding of the key terms and expressions;

- do not let yourself be distracted from the intended topic, and do not distract yourself from it either;

- when presenting arguments, speak first about the advantages, and only afterward about the drawbacks;

- a quantized delivery of the message is effective, in which a brief pause is made after each fact or argument is given, to allow it to be absorbed and retained;

- each subsequent argument should carry more weight than the previous one;

- for better acceptance of new ideas, they should be presented so that they are associated with ideas already accepted;

- never limit yourself to a simple listing of arguments, but try to reveal their logical and emotional meaning from the interlocutor's point of view;

- give the same argument several times, but each time rephrase it in new words;

- always keep a couple of arguments in reserve for use when the target's position noticeably wavers;

- carefully track all the partner's verbal and nonverbal reactions, and adjust your further argumentation based on them;

- determine from the target's reaction the points where their inner motives are struggling, and concentrate all your influence there, presenting again and again the arguments that made the greatest impression on the partner.

Neutralizing the target's argumentation.

- anticipate in advance all of the counterpart's possible arguments and, guided by them, prepare your own counterarguments;

- it is better to dismantle the target's argumentation before stating your own points, and one should analyze both the reality of the facts themselves and the conclusions drawn from them;

The partner's arguments can be neutralized by:

- logical refutation;

- ignoring them;

- ridiculing them;

- apparent acceptance followed by unexpected debunking;

- shifting the emphasis (exposing their weak points and downplaying their strong ones to the utmost);

- cleverly turning them into your own;

- suppressing logic with emotions;

- impressively discrediting their author (but not the interlocutor, naturally!);

- referring to authorities (sometimes fictitious ones)...

Continuing the conversation if the target has said no

- never give up until your counterpart says a clear, decisive no!;

- once you realize the interlocutor has made a final decision, do not try

to change their mind, but skillfully shift the conversation to a neutral and, if possible, pleasant topic for them.

Ending the conversation

- once you realize the counterpart has accepted the idea being conveyed, do not prolong the contact further, but, briefly summarizing the main points, part with them in a friendly manner;

- try to ensure that the partner does not get the impression that they have somehow been forced to submit to someone else's will;

- in the event of a possible failure to persuade, one should not end the conversation immediately, but skillfully steer it into a direction engaging for the target, and then, when parting, once more, unobtrusively, mention your main arguments and, without overt pressure, suggest they think them over at leisure.

Additional recommendations regarding persuasive conversation can be found in the section devoted to communication technique.

Suggestion

Suggestion refers to the transmission of information along with the ideas embedded in it, without any critical evaluation or logical processing of what is offered. What indicates that suggestion, and not a conscious choice, has worked is a purely emotional reaction to the slightest attempt at discussing

the cherished truth, with everything that contradicts it being rejected outright, and the more convincing the arguments against it, the stronger the indignation.

Suggestion methods are used:

- to block undesirable behavior or thinking in a person;

- to induce an individual toward a required action;

- for the rapid spread of useful information and necessary rumors.

Those who are highly susceptible to suggestion are those who:

- show themselves to be weak personalities (timid, shy, fearful...);

- perceive others uncritically (naive, trusting...);

- tend to depend on others (seek out a master for themselves, are exceptionally obliging...).

Those who are hard to suggest are those who:

- possess business drive (energetic and enterprising...);

- are strong personalities (as well as vain and arrogant ones...);

- set themselves apart from others (withdrawn and sullen...);

- express their feelings exceptionally actively (eccentric and outspoken...);

- do not depend on others, but on the contrary, have someone dependent on them...

Suggestion is facilitated by:

- a complete absence or extreme contradictoriness of current information;

- a very authoritative (both living and printed...) source that is also one's own;

- an inner sense of dependency;

- severe psychophysical exhaustion and overtiredness of the target;

- a certain psychological tension (anger, ecstasy, fear, searching for a way out of a difficult situation...);

- the clear desirability or pleasantness of what is being suggested;

- the harsh categorical nature of statements and demands;

- the shocking unexpectedness of the message;

- repetition of the information being fed;

- absolute logical consistency and special emotionality of what is communicated;

- certain illnesses and personality features (psychopathy, impotence, weak logical thinking, superstition, drug addiction...).

Suggestion is sometimes hindered by specific internal barriers, such as:

- the critical-logical barrier (rejecting everything that seems logically unfounded);

- the intuitive-affective barrier (dismissing everything that does not inspire subconscious trust or confidence);

- the ethical barrier (rejection of what contradicts the person's moral and ethical views).

Overcoming these barriers requires only skillful adaptation to them.

Thus, to influence people with weak intellect, the needed suggestion is best combined with intensified negative emotions, whereas if the person is fully intelligent or already known to be suggestible, positive emotions should be used.

In a case where the target is depressed or too unsure of themselves, the necessary suggestion is carried out in an emotional, commanding tone, employing facial expressions and gestures, framing repeatedly stated sharp, short phrases that seem almost hammered in.

If the target is excessively agitated and significantly worried, suggestion is done in a soothing tone, using repeated soft, lulling, long phrases.

The main thing is not to arouse the slightest wariness, but to charm and, as it were, mesmerize the person.

When the counterpart is excessively vain, it makes sense to attack them with love, lavishly praising them and offering compliments that feed the target's sense of their own significance; alongside this, one manages to indirectly suggest the needed ideas.

Since effective suggestion is governed by the subconscious, it is promising to try to awaken the person's fantasy (for example, an erotic one...), during which they become absorbed in themselves, so that the boundaries between the subconscious and consciousness blur. In such a case the psyche becomes less resistant to any changes and to being influenced.

Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) offers the optimal methodology for skillful suggestion.

In some situations, subliminal suggestion is used, unnoticeable to those around, carried out in a quiet whisper that is not consciously perceived by the target.

An excellent channel for delivering the needed suggestion is carefully selected rumors, which are described in the section on obtaining information. Here the fact at work is that ideas overheard or caught in passing often act more powerfully than those imposed directly.

B. Hypnosis

Hypnosis refers to a state of a specific kind of sleep, or of narrowed awareness, with complete shutdown of critical perception and heightened sensitivity to outside suggestion.

Hypnosis technique can be used:

- to obtain information (hypno-interrogation);

- for the secret transmission of messages;

- for planting disinformation;

- for the purpose of programming toward desired behavior (episodically, or in methods of zombification).

Those who are easily hypnotized:

- people of the artistic type:

- socially adapted, sociable personalities;

- very anxious and heavily perspiring people;

- all chronic alcoholics and drug addicts;

- those who suffer from enuresis (nighttime urinary incontinence) or asthma.

Hard to hypnotize:

- people of the thinking type;

- psychasthenics, fixated on all sorts of doubts and endlessly rehashing their own experiences.

Three stages of hypnosis are distinguished:

- light (drowsiness): the subject can easily and immediately break off the session whenever they wish;

- medium (hypotaxis): complete relaxation while retaining confidence that it is possible to overcome the drowsiness, although one really doesn't want to;

- deep (somnambulism): the person does not react to any stimuli and maintains verbal contact (rapport) only with their operator; in this state a person can be programmed for an action (for a period of up to one year), and sometimes the personality is split into several separate selves, each of which is able to live its own particular life, unaware of the existence of the others: all experiences in this phase are clearly amnesic (as if forgotten).

To induce the subject into a hypnotic trance, conditions favorable to it must be created and, adapting to the situation, suitable techniques applied, carefully monitoring the external signs of entering the trance state.

The following conditions greatly assist, and sometimes by themselves put a person into a trance:

- severe fatigue and drowsiness;

- overcast and rainy weather;

- evening dusk and silence;

- a position comfortable for sleep, or, conversely, an extremely uncomfortable and unfamiliar position;

- rhythmic swaying and rotating movements of the whole body and voice;

- a complete absence of real stimuli (sensory deprivation) or monotonous rhythmic influences of a physical nature (visual, tactile, and auditory);

- rhythmic shamanic or cosmic music;

- a sharp and extremely powerful stimulus (a gong strike, a flash of light, an unexpected slap, a shouted command...);

- intense emotional arousal, including sexual arousal;

- a state of fear and rage;

- compressing the carotid arteries and pressing on the eyeballs or other parts of the body (ear, elbow, forehead, wrist...);

- a small drink or, half an hour before the planned session, taking barbamyl (0.2-0.3 g), veronal (0.5 g), noxiron (0.25 g), pyramidon

(0.1 g), or 4-5 drops of chloroform...

To deepen the hypnotic state, one must, in a very quiet voice, suggest vivid, colorful images of calm, muscular relaxation, and complete disconnection from those around, with perception of only the words of the suggestion.

The following signs indicate that a person has entered a hypnotic trance:

- even, calm breathing and a relaxed face;

- an appearance as if asleep and a lack of reactions to those around;

- a complete absence of eyelid trembling (trembling indicates a shallow trance, while its disappearance indicates a deep one, potentially even slipping into ordinary sleep).

To determine whether the subject is truly in a hypnotic state or merely pretending, one should ask them to behave completely normally, knowing that in an altered state of consciousness this cannot be convincingly done.

It is easiest to induce a hypnotic trance in a person who is normally asleep, since the latter has no will to resist. This is carried out during the phases of what is known as REM sleep, the first of which occurs 45-90 minutes after falling asleep. Several such phases occur during the night, and before each of them the individual turns over in bed.

The number and duration of such phases is increased by the use of a barbiturate sleeping pill (sodium barbital, barbamyl, nembutal...) on the night before the operation, as well as by drinking a day or two before the action. Everything perceived during controlled sleep is not consciously recognized externally, but internally is not forgotten.

To turn a subject's ordinary sleep into a hypnotic one, you should:

- about half an hour after the person has fallen asleep, or an hour or two before they are due to wake, quietly position yourself near the head of their bed;

- after sitting for a while, make slow passes with your hands along the surface of their body, moving from the head toward the feet, at a distance of one and a half to two centimeters from the skin;

- for two or even three minutes, in a quiet whisper and in rhythm with their sleeping breath, utter: Sleep deep-er, sle-ep deep-er;

- gradually begin to alternate slowing and speeding up the rhythm of the words; if the rhythm of the sleeper's breathing changes correspondingly, then contact has been established with them;

- gradually increasing the volume of your speech and adjusting to a tone of suggestion, state: You are sleeping deeply. You hear my voice very well, but you continue to sleep comfortably. Fall even deeper asleep. Now you want to answer all questions while remaining asleep. What is your name. Answer while continuing to sleep, what is your name... (all initial questions should be simple and not arouse the slightest anxiety); if the subject answers the question without waking up, then rapport (that is, verbal contact) has been established with them;

- now you can proceed to the specific suggestion, repeated an odd (5 or 7) number of times, with brief (no more than 5 seconds) but obligatory intervals between repetitions;

- carry out 5 or 7 such series, filling the intervals between them with formulas that ensure the necessary state is maintained: Sleep deeper. Even deeper....

All suggestions in hypnosis are given in a quiet voice, by means of short phrases repeated several times, with small pauses between them.

Key words are delivered at the moment the person takes their next breath in.

The entire session usually lasts no more than 15-20 minutes.

So that the individual does not later remember what happened, they should be told that before waking they will see a vivid dream, but as soon as the dream appears, they will wake up immediately; the dream will be well remembered, while everything before it will be forgotten.

Specific techniques for solving special tasks using hypnosis are as follows:

1. Hypno-interrogation. The person is induced by one means or another into a hypnotic trance and, once rapport is established, is directed to answer the questions asked, with the first of them being the simplest (about the weather, name, profession...) so as not to arouse even mild wariness. A professional soldier or official can be effectively told that their superior is standing before them, waiting for a full and detailed report. Sometimes the free-association technique is used, in which a key word is spoken and the counterpart is expected to report whatever comes to mind. One should refrain from questions that clearly steer toward specific answers, since under hypnosis an individual is capable of giving fabricated information even under slight, unintentional pressure from the interrogator.

2. Transmitting secret information. The person is put into a hypnotic trance and told certain information, while amnesia is induced regarding what was presented. After this, they will be able to pass on what they heard only if put into hypnosis again, in which state they will pick up on the code word (or phrase) established during the main session as a password that unlocks their memory.

3. Fabricating disinformation. The hypnotized subject is carefully made to believe that they supposedly took part in some operation, saw some event, overheard a private conversation, or obtained certain information. Upon leaving the coded state, the person believes that what they were told actually happened and confidently reports it to others.

4. Programming toward desired behavior. This trick usually succeeds only at a deep stage of hypnosis. After entering a trance, the subject, through the use of certain words and images, is transformed into a desired personality, as if imitating a character known from literature, film, or real life. Such an operation is carried out with the help of specially established code phrases, and there may be several new personalities involved here (multi-level programming used in zombification...)

In a similar way, it is possible to code the subject for a specific act which they will be obligated to carry out upon hearing the code word or when a certain situation arises. It should be taken into account that a blunt post-hypnotic suggestion that clearly contradicts the subject's moral principles most often will not be carried out, which is why bizarre roundabout maneuvers (such as imitating a game or deception...) have to be used. The automatic triggering by a specific signal retains its force for approximately one year.

D. Narcotic influence

Narcotics are substances that, in small doses, produce euphoria, and in large doses, produce stupor and deep sleep with a complete shutdown of consciousness and pain sensitivity.

Such substances can be either natural (opium, hashish, henbane...) or synthesized (amphetamines, "mulka," ecstasy, "screw," LSD...).

Given the specific nature of their effects, all narcotic substances are used across a broad spectrum, in particular for:

- obtaining information (narco-interrogation, inducing talkativeness in conversation...);

- coding the subject for the required behavior;

- breaking a person's will for any number of purposes (the technique of "hooking" someone on the substance...);

- shocking changes in a person's behavior aimed at discrediting them;

- disrupting the target's psyche in the process of brainwashing or zombification;

- neutralizing a person's possible resistance during their abduction.

Let us examine the aforementioned variants in a bit more detail.

Narco-interrogation

In the technique of professional interrogation, narcotics are used to create a certain "twilight zone" in the individual's mind. The narcotic causes the disinhibition of specific restraining centers of the brain, and the person is unable to think clearly or make anything up, although their memory of the past is usually preserved.

If the effect of the narcotic was not very strong and the subject's consciousness did not disappear enough for them to understand what they are being asked, then they are still capable of concealing the truth. The difficulty, therefore, lies in selecting the optimal working dose of the drug, which must rule out the ability for conscious resistance (possible with a scanty dose) while preventing the subject from talking nonsense (with too large a dose). Administration of the narcotic substance is usually stopped once the person's eyelids begin to tremble and their speech becomes indistinct.

Resistance to the narcotic is fairly subjective and depends, among other things, on physical condition, psychological type, prior experience, and other highly individual factors. Sometimes a person only gives up the information after receiving the third or fourth dose of any of the "truth serums."

Specific questions are usually formulated as briefly as possible (so that the person being interrogated does not forget the beginning of the question by the time they reach the end of their answer), and they must also be free of suggestiveness. This applies especially to neurotics, who are extremely prone to fantasizing.

Once free of the narcotic's influence, the person interrogated, as a rule, does not remember the content of the information they gave and has no idea how long the session lasted.

The technique of narco-interrogation uses the following methods:

- mixing a tincture of belladonna (deadly nightshade) into a drink, in order to catch what is being concealed while the person rambles in their drowsy state;

- slow intravenous administration of a small dose (0.5-1 ml of a 0.05% solution) of scopolamine; administering the drug too quickly or in large doses is considered life-threatening (a sharp drop in blood pressure, weakening of cardiac activity, respiratory arrest...). The effect

usually manifests as a feeling of floating and weightlessness; the subject loses self-control, becomes excessively talkative, extremely complacent, and very candid, blurting out what they normally conceal;

- injecting 2-8 ml of a 10% solution of sodium thiopental (pentothal) into a vein at a minuscule rate (1 ml per minute); after 10-15 minutes the light noticeably dims, objects shrink in size, and concealed thoughts rise to the surface, sweeping away any thought of caution or the need for self-control, although there is usually no urge to communicate. With a small dose one should make use of the falling-asleep period, and with a large one, the waking-up period;

- slow injection into a vein of 0.5-8 ml of a 10% solution of sodium amobarbital (barbamyl), the effect of which manifests as a reduction in overall activity and a slowing of speech; this is accompanied by dizziness and a dry mouth, and surrounding objects lose their outlines. Euphoria then sets in (though depression is occasionally possible instead), with increased sociability and friendliness accompanied by talkativeness and the disappearance of restraint, lasting from 10 minutes to 1 hour, followed by stupor and sleep lasting from several minutes to several hours. To prolong the desired euphoria, the drug is administered at the slowest possible rate (over 4-20 minutes), and an overdose is countered with an injection of caffeine;

- slow (over 3-5 minutes) intravenous administration of 2-8 ml of a 10% solution of sodium amobarbital (barbamyl), followed, once the person is in a narcotic sleep, by the administration of a strong dose of a psychostimulant (amphetamine...). Forcibly waking the sleeping person gives them a surge of energy and an intense desire to talk; the sounds and images around them become bright and vivid, the pulse and breathing quicken, all thoughts become clear, and there is an urge to shout from a sense of one's own power. Since the person has been restrained beforehand, all of the power of their motor energy is actively sublimated into an unstoppable flood of words.

Chemical agents that suppress the will can be detected in the blood no later than a few hours after the injection, and the needle mark is usually visible for a couple of days, although there are needles (for example, insulin needles) that leave no trace at all.

It should always be taken into account that many narcotics act more strongly in spring and summer, as well as at dawn, in the morning, or during a storm.

If you have been forcibly subjected to the effect of a narcotic, it is advisable to determine its dominant type by focusing attention on the dominant sensation (bliss, indifference, and various nuances of perception), significant changes in the size and clarity of objects, and in the intensity of lighting...).

To overcome the pressure of "truth serums," you can try:

- concentrating attention on a certain piece of reality (the ticking of a clock, a damp stain on the wall...) and, realizing from this fixed reference point that the realism of one's thinking is deteriorating, focusing to the utmost on the need to overcome the encroaching state and to think very clearly;

- fixating on memories of certain emotional but, from a safety standpoint, insignificant things (such as sex, feelings of guilt, envy, spite...), thereby distancing yourself from an undesirable, dangerous confession;

- concentrating on memories of something (or someone) especially dear:

- trying to confuse the thought process by uttering all sorts of nonsense...

Inducing talkativeness in an interlocutor

To achieve this goal, use is made of the property of narcotic substances to noticeably disinhibit the psyche, which often produces euphoria along with increased sociability and friendliness, while wariness and restraint disappear.

For this you can:

- offer the person a cigarette in which a small amount (about the size of a pea) of dried cannabis leaves and tops has been mixed into the tobacco;

- add 0.05 g of barbamyl to alcohol (since barbamyl blocks the processing of alcohol, an excess dose of it can prove life-threatening to the body...).

Methods of recruiting agents

Special agent

The activity of the special services has always attracted heightened attention, although the information that becomes available to the public is only a negligibly small fraction of all the activity these services carry out. One of the main tasks necessary for the successful conduct of secret activity is a wide-ranging, well-concealed network of agents, and the recruitment of new agents.

Recruitment is a set of diverse agent-operational measures aimed at drawing a person of interest to the special service into cooperation with it, in order to carry out certain intelligence-related tasks.

The work of the special services of different countries in this area is built along essentially the same lines everywhere. Of course, it is very painstaking, secret, and dangerous work. We can observe examples of recruitment in everyday life, on the part of marketing. The principle of modern sales — to create interest and then satisfy it — makes people buy a product even if they don't really need it. The recruitment of people uses this same principle, only at a higher psychological level. Bringing a person into one's network of agents is extra-class work for an intelligence officer.

Stages of agent recruitment

The process of recruiting an agent is generally divided into several stages. First comes preliminary preparation for carrying out the recruitment of an agent. At this stage, the circle of people who might be suitable for carrying out certain intelligence-related tasks is determined — the so-called recruitment pool. Specialists conduct a thorough study of the professional potential of the selected circle. From this group of people, a candidate is chosen who, for one reason or another, might agree to cooperate with the special services. Having settled on a candidate, the operation's planners thoroughly study the chosen target, examining all the positive and negative sides of their character, the person's professional usefulness; they search for compromising materials, meticulously find out all aspects of their personal life and their political and religious beliefs. Having thoroughly studied all the information, having created a psychological portrait of the future agent, and having assessed their inner and outer world, the special service specialists find the angles by which the individual can be drawn into cooperation. The complete picture of the target of interest is submitted for review to the superiors, and if the matter is decided favorably, a joint action plan is drawn up aimed at recruiting the new agent.

Developing the target

Having settled on a candidate, the special service officers begin the recruitment development of the future agent. All necessary information is gathered from the target's surroundings, technical means are used to obtain information, and surveillance is carried out. All these measures make it clear which motive can be used to exert influence on the person of interest. After this, tactics and the basis for recruitment are developed, which depend on the surrounding situation, personal and everyday problems, the prevailing political situation, and circumstances that may affect the person's vital needs.

Secrets of intelligence work

Basics of agent recruitment

There are several basic ideas on which the recruitment of agents is carried out:

• ideological-political;

• compromising;

• material — everyday;

• moral-psychological.

Recruitment that takes place on an ideological-political basis develops the strongest ties between the agent and the special service. This style of recruitment is especially effective amid disillusionment with the political situation in the country, the infringement of religious beliefs, and the fueling of nationalism. Agents recruited on this basis are ready to sacrifice themselves for the idea; they are very valuable and devoted agents, unless disillusionment with their own ideas sets in.

Coercive recruitment

A fairly large number of agents are also recruited with the help of compromising material. When studying the files on targets of interest, special service specialists may find compromising material in the agent's sexual life (homosexuality, an affair on the side, sex with minors), in their personal biography, or in the biography of their closest relatives. Agents recruited in this way work productively and for a long time for the special services, as long as they remain on the hook.

The simplest and most understandable method is recruiting an agent on the basis of material reward. Money is the best incentive. The amount of material reward can be used to stimulate the agent's active work or, conversely, to phase them out once they are no longer needed.

The most unmanageable is the agent recruited on a moral-psychological basis. Character traits (vanity, greed, revenge, and others) are not a very good foundation for building a solid network of agents. Of course, there are no strict boundaries between these bases as such, and an agent recruited on the basis of one platform may come to adopt the views and ideas of another. It is also worth noting that in all forms of recruiting targets, material payment has always been and remains an important aspect.

Some special services of foreign countries use, when recruiting, methods involving a real threat to the life of the person being recruited and their closest relatives.

This is only a small list of the common situations that arise when recruiting agents.

Methods of recruitment

In developing the recruitment process, two methods of recruitment are identified: gradual involvement and direct proposal. Likewise, taking into account the data about the target to be recruited, one needs to decide under what cover of the special services the cooperation should be offered.

Choosing the method of gradual involvement, the recruiting agent holds repeated meetings with the potential agent, has conversations with them, and enters into their personal life. Gradually, the recruitment candidate grows accustomed to their interlocutor, begins to heed their thoughts, and shares their problems. After some time, trusting relations are established, which an experienced agent can use to their advantage. Borrowing money, drinking together, taking part in various improper activities — and the target, without even noticing it, sets out on the path of cooperation with the special services. The final stage of this method is a concluding conversation with the signing of a document agreeing to cooperate. After that, a plan of tasks is worked out, working conditions are determined, a method for transmitting information is devised, and briefing is carried out.

The method of recruitment by direct proposal involves a direct conversation with the recruitment target, based on solid grounds for believing that agreement to cooperate will be reached. All this confidence is given after preliminary development of the candidate. This method is also used when there is a lack of time, when the target is departing for another territorial zone, or under other prevailing circumstances. This method increases the risk of exposure, so for this purpose it is advisable to use a visiting "recruiter." This makes it possible to keep the existing agent network safe.

With the development of scientific progress, agents of the special services use e-mail and mobile phones to recruit agents. But no matter how good the new methods may be, nothing can replace a personal meeting in recruitment.

The psychology of effectively entering into contact with an interlocutor

Entering into contact with an interlocutor is usually described in psychology as the process of establishing an emotional and communicative connection with another person. Effective entry into contact is important for successful interaction and communication with others.

Here are several key aspects that can help you effectively enter into contact with an interlocutor:

1. A positive attitude: Strive for a positive and open mood. Positive emotions and a friendly attitude make it easier to enter into contact.

2. Active listening: Listen attentively and actively. Show the interlocutor that their opinion and feelings matter to you.

3. Empathy: Strive to understand the interlocutor's point of view and their emotional state. Empathy helps establish a deeper connection.

4. Support: Offer support and understanding if the interlocutor is experiencing difficulties or problems.

5. Nonverbal communication: Pay attention to nonverbal signals, such as gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. They can complement your verbal communication.

6. Respect for personal space: Observe the interlocutor's personal space and respect their boundaries.

7. Clarity and precision: Express yourself clearly and precisely to avoid misunderstandings.

8. Self-awareness: Know your own emotions and reactions. This will help you better manage your emotions during the interaction.

9. Flexibility: Be ready to adapt your communication style depending on the interlocutor. Different people may require different approaches.

10. A positive conclusion: End the interaction on a positive note, for example, by expressing gratitude or hope for future communication.

Effectively entering into contact with an interlocutor contributes to more successful communication, problem-solving, and the establishment of positive relationships.

Entering into contact with an interlocutor involves removing psychological barriers, organizing a rapprochement with the communication partner, and diagnosing their personal characteristics. Methodologically, establishing contact involves going through a number of stages:

• 1) removing psychological barriers;

• 2) identifying overlapping interests;

• 3) determining the principles of communication;

• 4) identifying qualities that are dangerous for communication;

• 5) adapting to the partner and establishing contact.

Any business meeting between two partners involves specific actions taken toward one another, which serves as an unconscious cause for insuring against risk by erecting certain psychological barriers. The task of the first stage of communication is to remove such barriers and prepare the way for subsequent interaction. There are a number of factors that facilitate the establishment of psychological contact (positive factors) and that hinder entry into contact (negative factors). The positive factors include all those conditions that promote reaching agreement or that lead to an accumulation of concurring opinions on various issues. Among them are:

• the frequency of agreements;

• the mutuality and coincidence of agreements;

• the alternation of agreements from the partners in the communication.

A negative factor leading to the establishment of psychological barriers is wariness toward the communication partner. To relieve tension at the first stage of communication, the initiator of contact should choose a neutral topic for conversation, one that does not touch on the interlocutor's personality but is linked to assessments of the issues and problems being discussed with which it is impossible not to agree. As a result of such an opening to the communication, the interlocutor gets the impression that the partner fully trusts their judgments, opinions, and statements, and a lasting and stable state of satisfaction with the communication is created. In this case, previously established psychological barriers are destroyed, or at least reduced, and the interlocutor "loses vigilance." With the correctly chosen tactics of behavior, by the end of the first stage of communication:

• the pauses after questions posed become shorter;

• the interlocutor's own statements, their involuntary clarifications and additions to what was previously said, begin to predominate;

• the complexity and length of the answers increases, while the number of questions in response to questions (reactive questions) decreases.

The basis of the second stage of communication — identifying overlapping interests — is the search for points of "close contact," coinciding topics, opinions, assessments, and experiences. The purpose of this stage lies in the need to build a primary foundation for union, so that, on the basis of common, coinciding, and mutually appealing interests, initial skills of joint communication are developed and positive emotions are evoked in the interlocutor as a result of such communication. The topic for carrying out the second stage should be free and independent of the interlocutor's personality — for example, their non-professional interests, their hobbies. The interlocutor's interest in the topic being discussed should be great enough to occupy their consciousness entirely. At the same time, one should constantly maintain the interlocutor's positive emotions but avoid a complete, exhaustive discussion of the issue, since a final judgment on the topic of communication would cause these emotions in the interlocutor to disappear. At this stage of communication, the following tactical techniques can be used:

• "escalation" — showing increasing interest in the topic under discussion;

• "detailing" — expressing heightened interest in particular statements by the interlocutor, accompanied by a request for a more detailed account and interpretation of what was said;

• "problems" — to use this technique one must possess original information on the issue being discussed, information clearly unavailable to the interlocutor but arousing in them a desire to explain it from their own point of view;

• "switching" — periodically introducing into the discussed problem individual questions on other, but closely related, topics, which creates psychological pathways toward a positive discussion of whatever topic of communication is needed.

As a result of the mutual understanding established, the interlocutor develops a desire to continue the communication and discussion, and expectations arise for further communication that brings positive emotions.

The main function of the third stage — determining the principles of communication — is to ensure the initial exchange of information about individual principles of communication and to select the valuable and prevailing qualities of the communication partner. Given that a number of both positive and negative factors arise as a result of this stage of communication, it is recommended to bear in mind the following communication techniques:

• "readiness" — an orientation toward accepting and taking into account any statement by the interlocutor;

• "reciprocal self-disclosure" — communication in the form of a dialogue creates a distinctive rhythm of exchanging opinions, and any responding statement is regarded by the interlocutor as an acceptance of what they said, contributing to the normal development of the conversation;

• "gradual disclosure of one's own qualities" — all information is conveyed to the interlocutor in a certain sequence, and the partner's individual qualities are absorbed by the interlocutor and correlated with their own system of qualities; therefore, in conversation one should proceed from the principle of gradually building up personal qualities in order to progressively create in the interlocutor's mind a portrait of your personality, avoiding pushiness;

• "avoidance" — one should not draw premature final conclusions or formulations, even when there is enough information available for generalization.

In practice, the following tactical techniques for the stage of determining the principles of communication are widely used:

• "formulating what has been accepted" — voicing aloud what the interlocutor specifically wants to highlight in the flow of information;

• "summing up" — generalizing what has previously been said, highlighting the points of agreement;

• "similar opinions (likening)" — expressing your own opinion that confirms the correctness of the interlocutor's statements and behavior;

• "justified expectations" — statements that confirm that the interlocutor's information reflects the partner's expectations in communication.

As a result, at the third stage, a certain general impression is created of the set of positive qualities that the communication partners present to each other. At the same time, negative qualities are concealed, an effect of mutual understanding arises, an orientation toward accepting the interlocutors' personal characteristics is formed, which contributes to more active communication.

The main task of the fourth stage — identifying qualities dangerous for communication — is to single out such qualities and assess the probability and strength of their manifestation under various conditions of communication. To this end, a record is kept of the manifestation of various qualities, confirming or refuting the previously formed opinion about the interlocutor. As a rule, in the form of psychological breakdowns, the personality traits that first slip out of control (the most "powerful" ones) manifest themselves. To rule out the effect of surprise from the manifestation of such qualities, the following principles of communication should be used:

• "initiative" — be the first to show a readiness to tell the interlocutor about your weaknesses and certain negative characteristics;

• "candor" — demonstrate a readiness to be candid, which should evoke in the interlocutor a sense of safety and the conviction that information about their negative qualities will not be used against them;

• "equivalence" — inform the interlocutor about yourself to an extent no greater than what they themselves share about themselves.

To prompt the interlocutor toward a candid conversation, the following psychological techniques should be used:

• "expressing doubt" — in the event of any unexpected inconsistencies in the interlocutor's statements, cast doubt on such statements immediately after they are made;

• "juxtaposing contradictions" — when it is necessary to arouse in the interlocutor an active desire to express their own opinion, all contradictions in the information being presented should be attributed to them as their own;

• "diagnostic questions" — answers to questions about the personal qualities of other people make it possible to form an opinion about the interlocutor's attitude toward negative personality traits and to find out their ideas about moral values and norms of behavior;

• "provoking arguments" — the interlocutor reveals their personality in disputes you have initiated over some, even trivial, matter;

• "relaxation" — to draw out candor from an interlocutor who feels awkward, unsure, and does not know where to begin telling about themselves, one should switch them to distracting, unrelated topics.

As a result of the fourth stage of communication, the interlocutor's negative qualities and the techniques used to conceal or mask them are revealed. This makes it possible to avoid situations characteristic of the manifestation of such qualities, or to adjust one's own behavior taking into account the possibility of their being awakened.

Particularly important during the course of the fifth stage of communication — adapting to the partner and establishing contact — is maintaining the process of interaction at an optimal level. This can be achieved by smoothing out undesirable reactions to a given stimulus through the use of certain personality traits of the interlocutor to manage their behavior. At this stage, the tactics of business communication come down to conducting an equal dialogue and allow for the use of the following techniques:

• "initial actions" — when an undesirable quality of the interlocutor manifests itself, one should soften the situation;

• "pointing out the quality" — a technique designed to use expectations of certain actions to arouse the corresponding behavioral motivation: "Although you tend toward hasty conclusions, I still ask you to listen to me patiently, since this is necessary in order to choose the right decision";

• "emphasizing and affirming the compatibility that has developed" — serves as a prologue to moving on to summing up the communication: "We have reached complete mutual understanding both of the problem as a whole and of its individual points. We need to discuss the situation that has arisen and work out the right decision";

• "asking for advice" — helps overcome the interlocutor's passive position and increase their sense of significance.

As a result of the fifth, final stage of communication, an understanding arises not only of the interlocutor's qualities, but also of the motives and reasons behind their actions. The interlocutor develops an inner confidence in the partner's ability to show involvement and provide help in resolving the problem under discussion.

The modern business style of communication is characterized by brevity and simplicity in the construction of phrases and speech constructions, the use of everyday or professional colloquial vocabulary, and distinctive speech clichés and stock phrases. Depending on the intended business goals, communication partners may use various features of syntactic structure, phrase and sentence construction, and word combinations.

The official business style of speech is conditioned by the practical requirements of professional activity and is widely used in the spheres of administrative and social relations. This style is realized both in written form (record-keeping, business correspondence, regulatory acts, etc.) and in oral form (progress reports, official dialogue, speeches at business meetings, etc.). Legislative, diplomatic, and administrative-clerical sub-styles of official business communication are distinguished, each having its own specifics, speech clichés, and communicative forms. The official business style requires extreme precision of speech, using both widely known and highly specialized terms; objectivity of information, which does not allow for the expression of subjective opinion or the use of emotionally colored vocabulary; a clear limitation of the range of topics of business speech; and standardization in the choice of linguistic means.

The scientific style of speech is used in the communication of people engaged in various theoretical and empirical research and experiments. This style requires the maximally precise, logical, and unambiguous expression of thoughts, is distinguished by an abstract generality, by the logical presentation of information in the form of judgments, inferences, and weighty arguments, and is often marked by abstract vocabulary.

The publicistic (journalistic) style of speech is applicable in the spheres of socio-political, ideological, economic, and cultural relations. It is characteristic of people engaged in economics, management, and public relations, and is a combination of the linguistic means of literary written styles and colloquial speech, as well as means of artistic speech. An important feature of this style is its informational function, which presupposes documentary and factual accuracy, comprehensiveness, and formality. Such information is used to educate, campaign, explain events, and shape socio-political consciousness. The publicistic style of speech is characterized by conciseness (one

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