What is a Red Herring?

Manipulation Tactic: Red Herring

Category: Psychological Manipulation

Red Flag Indicators

Red Herring is when someone misleads or distracts from an irrelevant topic into an argument or discussion to divert attention away from the original, central issue.

It is a fallacy of relevance, meaning the premise, though it may be true, has no bearing on the conclusion or the core point of the debate.

In Logic/Debate: It's an attempt to shift the conversation's focus to a new topic to avoid having to address the original argument, especially when the speaker feels cornered or lacks a strong rebuttal.

Etymology: The term is widely thought to originate from the practice of dragging a strong-smelling, smoked (red) fish across a trail to distract hunting dogs and throw them off the scent of a fox or hare.

In Literature/Fiction: It's a false clue or misdirection used by an author to mislead the audience or reader, often in mystery novels, to build suspense or delay the reveal of the true solution or villain.

Psychological Characteristics

Emotional Appeal (Appealing to Emotion): The irrelevant topic is often introduced with an emotional charge (pity, fear, outrage, or excitement) to quickly capture the audience's attention and override rational, critical thinking.

Defensiveness/Avoidance: In arguments, a red herring is frequently used when a person feels under pressure, accused, or unable to defend their position. The distraction serves as a psychological defense mechanism to avoid accountability or an uncomfortable truth.

Cognitive Load/Overload: By introducing a sudden, irrelevant-but-compelling new topic, the red herring diverts the listener's mental resources away from the original, difficult issue, making them forget the initial line of inquiry.

Confirmation Bias: The diversion might be tailored to a subject the audience already has strong feelings about or is prone to agree with, making them more likely to accept the shift in topic.

Common Examples and Manipulation Tactics

The red herring is a common tactic in public speaking, politics, and advertising.

Politics/Debate: A politician is asked about their poor voting record on environmental issues.

"I believe that protecting the environment is important, but what we really need to focus on right now is the economic crisis and getting people back to work." (Shifts topic to a common concern: the economy).

Personal Argument: A child is confronted by a parent for failing a test.

"I know I failed, but my teacher is so mean and unfair to me all the time! I can't concentrate when she's picking on me." (Shifts blame and focus to the teacher's unrelated behavior).

Corporate/PR: A company faces questions about the poor quality of its product.

"We are proud of our commitment to quality, but did you know that our CEO volunteers at a local animal shelter every weekend? We believe in giving back to the community." (Focuses on an unrelated, positive, emotional detail).

Legal/Trial: A defense attorney is arguing a case against his client.

The defense attorney focuses heavily on the fact that the victim was a difficult and unpleasant person, arguing that the victim's bad character somehow lessens the gravity of the crime. (Focuses on the victim's character instead of the evidence of the crime).

---

VIIEGO the human security agency for human security research and consulting in identity manipulation and fraud prevention to decode human behavior and secure your identity.

www.viiego.com | Protect What's Yours.