Final answer:
Propaganda is used to influence public opinion and bolster support for a cause by appealing to emotions and employing techniques like bandwagon and fear appeals. It can distort perceptions through embellishment or ad hominem attacks. Its use is widespread during wartime, as in the creation of the Committee on Public Information to sell the idea of World War I to the American public.
Step-by-step explanation:
Propaganda is a powerful tool used to manipulate public opinion and mobilize support for a particular cause or position. It plays on emotions such as fear, anger, and patriotism, employing techniques like bandwagon and fear appeals. During wartime, for instance, propaganda can glamorize enlisting in the military, as seen in World War I and II posters that focus on themes of adventure and duty while omitting the harsher realities of combat. The Committee on Public Information during World War I provides a historical example of how propaganda was systematized to garner support for the war effort by depicting the enemy in a particularly evil light and encouraging public sacrifice.
Propaganda can also include ad hominem attacks, whereby a person's character is attacked to undermine their position, rather than engaging with their arguments. This is another form of manipulation that shifts focus from the real issues to personal disparagements. Despite the often negative connotations of propaganda, it's important to note that it can sometimes be based on legitimate arguments. Nevertheless, one must remain vigilant to the potential for propaganda to be embellished and to encourage motivated reasoning, where facts are selectively used or ignored to support pre-existing beliefs or positions.