What are Manipulation Techniques?

Manipulation is trying to change the feelings, thoughts and behaviors of others by various methods without making them aware of it. The person who manipulates tries to influence the other person in line with his own interests and wishes. The negative behavior of a person who starts with feelings of selfishness and individualism and tries to justify himself affects both parties. It is important to be aware and get support in these situations that may have serious consequences.

Manipulative people target different people or groups and direct them towards their own interests. It aims to change the person or the group through unethical methods.  This situation, which combines perception management and manipulation, is a psychological process as well as a violation of rights.

How to Manipulate?

A manipulator uses various methods to influence people’s minds and direct their thoughts and behaviors. During these methods, they sometimes exhibit behaviors such as trying to persuade and sometimes exploiting emotions. Additionally, among the methods he uses; There may be examples of manipulation involving violent-based behavior such as deprivation, humiliation, or emotional violence . A manipulative person often uses manipulation sentences that will make the other person feel guilty.

The person who engages in psychological manipulation exhibits narcissistic attitudes with self-centered thinking and manipulates the other person using the following methods.

• Persuasion
• Giving advice
• Perception management
• Humiliation
• Emotional exploitation
• Deprivation
• Creating feelings of guilt
• Playing the victim role
• Applying emotional violence

What are Manipulation Techniques?

People who manipulate are generally motivated by the feeling of feeling powerful and dominating others. They use some repetitive behaviors when manipulating consciously or unconsciously. These behaviors are called manipulation techniques . Some manipulation techniques include:

Positive Reinforcement:

Methods such as praise, apologies, smiling and positive facial expressions, and giving gifts and money are aimed at strengthening the desired behavior and increasing its frequency.

Negative Hardening:

It aims to direct the person’s feelings and thoughts through behaviors such as yelling, scolding, crying, emotional blackmail, and making people feel guilty.

Ego Stroking:

It is a technique used to exalt the person, raise his ego to the highest level, and then manipulate him to the point where he cannot say no .

To convince:

It is a technique of guiding the other person’s thoughts by using logic and reasoning.

Emotional pressure:

In this technique of making the person feel guilty and doubt himself, the manipulative person makes himself feel like a victim.

Do not lie:

This method, used to distort the facts, is a technique frequently used by manipulative people.

Deprivation:

It is the behavior of withholding the other person from things they need or love in order to manipulate them.

Disdain:

It is done by devaluing and disregarding the other person.

Punishment:

It is trying to dominate through behaviors such as intimidation, verbal harassment, anger management disorder .

What are the Personality Traits of Manipulative People?

Although manipulative people have different attitudes towards the techniques they use, they are generally good at managing the emotions of others, but at the same time, they are selfish, have a weak sense of justice, are merciless and narcissistic.

Some personality traits and behaviors of manipulative people are as follows:

• They frequently resort to lies.
• They use criticism and judgment.
• They can be a place of violence.
• They love to manage and dominate.
• They have a tendency to consider themselves superior.
• They can act selfish and ambitious.
• Feelings of compassion are weak.
• They exhibit behaviors of belittling and seeing others as worthless.
• Manipulative people can be overly controlling and direct the behavior of other people.
• They use incorrect communication methods when interacting with people.

What is Emotional Manipulation?

Emotional manipulation is mostly seen in bilateral relationships and aims to use emotions to change a person’s thoughts and ideas directly or indirectly. It tries to dominate the person’s emotions, alienating him from his own reality. The person who uses emotional manipulation tries to justify himself, sometimes by exaggerating, sometimes by lying, or even by playing the victim role. Sometimes, he may try to make someone fall in love with him by manipulating the situation.

In emotional manipulation, a person realizes his or her wishes by using the other person’s weaknesses. Here he hides his own emotions and targets emotions directly. The person who is manipulated may constantly feel inadequacy, helplessness and self-defense.

Since emotional manipulation has devastating effects on the person, it is important to recognize it early and take precautions. In other words, the most important factor in the process is for the person who is subjected to emotional manipulation to recognize it early in bilateral relations.

What should be done when exposed to manipulation?

Each stage of manipulation is important. In this case, it is necessary to be aware and have the right attitudes. When exposed to manipulation, the following steps should be followed.

• Understanding that the other party’s behavior is being manipulated by realizing that it is a tactic aimed at influencing him/her.
• To understand what tactics the manipulatoris trying to influence by describing his behavior.
• Rejecting manipulative behavior and rejecting tactics that try to influence emotions and thoughts.
• Protecting oneself when exposed to manipulative behavior.
• Cutting off relations with the manipulatingperson or ensuring that he/she receives support.
• Getting psychological support.

Apart from the professional process, if a person suspects that he is being manipulated, he can do research from various sources and get recommendations for manipulation books to become aware of it . Since it is important for the person to be aware, the manipulation movies he watches and the examples of manipulation books he reads will be helpful.

How is Manipulation Treatment Done?

While manipulation therapy aims to protect the person from tactics that affect their thoughts and behaviors, it also aims to repair the emotional damage caused by  the manipulation
. When it is noticed that he/she is being manipulated, the person should first protect himself and be able to express his emotions without suppressing them. Moving away from the manipulative person’s attitudes is necessary to restore balance.

During the professional support process, individual treatments are applied for emotions such as guilt and helplessness felt by the person, the basis of the manipulative behaviors experienced, negative experiences during the manipulation process, and attitudes towards later life. In manipulation treatment, it is very important that not only the exposed party but also the person performing the manipulation receives support.

Manipulation is all behaviors aimed at changing emotions and attitudes through methods such as lying, giving false information, pressure, etc., in order to control the situation of a person or a group or different people. Manipulation aims to influence people’s thoughts, behaviors and decisions. It can be done by abusing people’s trust and loyalty and is harmful to the person. It is a common problem in society, bilateral relations, business environment and daily life.

Recognizing and taking precautions is very important for the person who is manipulated and the person who manipulates. Getting professional support will be supportive in this process and for future experiences. You can apply to our clinic for manipulation treatment and support in Ankara.