When politicians come under fire for missteps or failures, they often rely on the technique of trying to shift the focus onto others. In an attempt to duck responsibility, scrutiny, accountability, they often create "scapegoats" to shift blame onto. They try to lay their failures at the feet of others or make a way to justify them. They may try to shift the debate entirely onto a completely irrelevant and different subject. One example is to make a drastic decision that completely shifts focus from the previous subject of scrutiny onto this new drastic change or subject brought into light by the government. Seen commonly by politicians and on a less refined level , regular people supporting a political party or figure in arguments or debates, or as a psychological attempt to manipulate others in regular domestic situations. In politics the tactic is entirely strategic and is arguably one of the most devious and disreputable in the eyes of honest morality and accountability, but is quite common in politics around the world.

Intelligence agency term for "psychological operation". A government or corporate-sponsored operation, usually taking the form of a "terrorist attack" or "crazed gunman on a spree", with the intent of panicking the public into demanding more police and laws inhibiting freedom. Psyops are usually carried out by drugging a civilian or group of civilians with aggression-promoting drugs, psyching them up, arming them, and sending them out to commit mayhem. Government-sponsored terrorism. See also blackshirts, conspiracy

Noun. The act of avoiding receipt of a compliment by changing the subject or playing coy

a way for parents who do not know how to be parents to blame anything and everything for their failure to acceptably raise or discipline their children.