The Intensify/Downplay schema is a useful pattern for analyzing communication, persuasion, and propaganda. All people intensify and downplay as they communicate in words, gestures, numbers, and so on. But, "professional persuaders" have more training, technology, money, and media access than the average citizen. The three most common ways in which persuaders intensify are repetition, association, and composition. The three most common ways in which persuaders downplay are omission, diversion, and confusion. Individuals can better cope with organized persuasion by recognizing the common ways in which communication is intensified or downplayed, and by considering who is saying what to whom, when and where, and with what intent and what result. (HTH)