Psychotechnologies of hypnotic manipulation of consciousness. How to manipulate people? Practical advice

Everyone strives to achieve goals, which can be completely different and depend on many factors that determine a person’s life and his personality. In the same way, the methods of their implementation may differ. One person can achieve them only on his own, guided by principles that are ethical in relation to others, with an understanding of which methods of achieving results are appropriate and which ones cross the boundaries of what is acceptable. Another can exert a psychological influence on people and use them for personal gain.

What is people manipulation

By manipulating people we need to understand a whole range of techniques for influencing the consciousness of other people. In fact, this is a whole art that assumes that the manipulating person (manipulator), understanding the intricacies of the human psyche, finds an individual approach to any person. At the same time, he constantly forms a new image of himself in order to achieve his goals. Many people, unfortunately, do not even think that there are a huge number of manipulation techniques and techniques, and that with their help they are “managed” almost every day. This happens because manipulations, as a rule, are characterized by secrecy. Few people are able to master all the methods, but even a few are enough to direct the actions of a particular person in the right direction.

The manipulator must have an understanding of, be sensitive to the mood and emotional state of people. And any of us can fall under the influence of such a person. But the difference in suggestibility (we are more or less influenced) depends on individual characteristics. There are even those who simply cannot be manipulated. Most often, these are very strong and insightful natures with specific mental properties. And manipulators try not to get involved with them, because all their hidden intentions immediately become clear.

Any manipulator is to a certain extent a psychologist, because he determines the “potential” of the victim, its weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages. And as soon as the weak point is found, he begins to influence it. Such a point can be an emotional state, a state of love, affection, resentment, interest or belief. The main task of the manipulator is to determine what exactly is a point. Public figures, politicians and other high-ranking officials acting out of selfish interests are guided in their activities (mass manipulation) by similar principles.

By the way, in a very accessible form, Tatyana Vasilyeva, a trainer at the Equator company, talks about what manipulation is. Watch the video, after which we will talk about what psychology tells us about the manipulation of people.

Psychology of manipulation

Manipulation of consciousness is a very subtle art, and to understand it, you need to know how a manipulator can act in most cases. The examples here are quite common. So, striving for his goals, he may begin to praise the person in order to achieve his favor. And having felt that he has achieved it, proceed to the main action - ask or somehow force him to do something for him. And it works - a person who has just heard a tirade addressed to him will, purely psychologically, be forced to fulfill the request so as not to seem rude or tactless.

But imagine that the person managed to realize that the manipulator’s speech was insincere, or simply felt that after it some requests and strength of character would follow. Having caught this behavior, the manipulator will either stop trying to influence, or may enter into confrontation and even insult the one whom he originally wanted to manipulate.

There are other examples. Many manipulators intimidate people, which often works, because there are a lot of incapable and anxious people. In this case, the initiator of the manipulation controls the behavior of the person who is ready to sacrifice his interests so as not to aggravate the situation. But this is only the apparent “power” and “strength” of the manipulator.

Psychology often indicates that a person's desire to control others should be considered a reflection of his own weakness. By controlling the actions of others, the manipulator simply compensates for his own complexes, powerlessness, uncertainty, or even envy. But it is also very interesting that some people have no idea that they are manipulating someone. Every person has played such a role at least once in his life, albeit unconsciously. Therefore, you need to be more aware and try to objectively perceive your own actions and actions. Read our article “” and thematic books, for example, the works of Henrik Fexeus. However, we will talk about books later, but for now we will not deviate from the topic.

Psychologists have identified several types of people who are potential victims of manipulation. There are five types in total:

• The first type is people living an ordinary life, striving for safety and comfort, in whose thinking common sense and logic prevail. Such people are manipulated mainly at the level of needs.
• The second type is people who live mainly in a state of stress, with predominant creative thinking, dreamy, vulnerable and sensitive, easily suggestible. These people are manipulated at the level of feelings and imagination.
• The third type is rational people, who think logically, prefer facts and specifics and subject everything to analysis. People in this category are manipulated by influencing their sense of justice, conscience and morality, as well as their sense of self-worth.
• The fourth type are people whose behavior is dictated by animal instincts, and who strive in their lives for the most part to eat, sleep and sex. It’s easy to manipulate such people – just by providing them with one of these pleasures.
• The fifth type is people with psychological disorders whose behavior is influenced by hallucinations; people deprived of common sense and the ability to fully analyze what is happening. They are subjected to the most severe manipulation through intimidation or pain.

Manipulators with amazing accuracy (after just a little communication with a person) are able to determine the type of victim, and based on this data, they choose a method or technique for manipulating consciousness.

Techniques and methods of manipulation

The art of manipulation is quite diverse. Some people use the same methods, while others constantly hone their skills in order to manipulate with greater efficiency. Knowing about these methods is useful in order to understand what you should be wary of, be able to defend yourself and be able to expose the manipulator. If you suddenly want to try to manipulate someone in your spare time, keep in mind that any techniques and methods will produce results only after careful preparation, in particular after identifying points of influence.

The most common points of contact during manipulation are:

• emotional condition;
• professional skills;
• way of thinking, habits and style of behavior;
• worldview and beliefs;
• interests and needs.

To successfully manipulate a person, the manipulator must collect information about him. It is strategically useful to think through in detail the time, place and conditions in which the manipulation will be carried out, as well as to create a suitable environment for it that increases suggestibility. Examples of such a situation: crowded or, conversely, secluded places, which depends on the situation.

The contact established between people is no less important. An experienced manipulator knows how to establish and develop it to inspire trust in the victim. It is appropriate to note here that many famous authors have written and are writing about manipulation techniques (Dale Carnegie, Robert Levine, Henrik Fexeus and others), and therefore it is not difficult to find a manual.

Once contact has been established and conditions correspond to those planned, the “preparatory stage” ends. Now you can resort to manipulation techniques (note that not all of them require careful preparation and can be used spontaneously). The techniques and methods of manipulation described below are most often used as the most effective. We think you can pick up examples without any problems.

Imaginary inferiority

The method of imaginary inferiority is that the manipulator shows weakness and expects a condescending attitude towards himself. If the victim has been convinced of this, she loses her vigilance, relaxes and stops perceiving the manipulator as a rival or a person who is stronger than her.

The best way to protect yourself from such manipulation is to perceive everyone around you as strong people (serious rivals).

False repetition

The false repetition method is designed to change the essence of the words spoken by the victim in order to give them a meaning that is beneficial to the manipulator. The initiator says the same thing as the victim, but in a slightly different form, allowing the meaning to change.

In order not to fall for this bait, you need to as much as possible what people tell you in response to your words, and immediately point out distortions and inaccuracies, if any.

False love

The method of false love is expressed in the manifestation of (insincere) deference, respect or love. The consciousness of the object of manipulation is clouded by flattering words and attitudes, which makes it possible to achieve a variety of goals.

It helps to resist the method, sensitivity and sober reason, which allows you to recognize the insincerity and real attitude of the manipulator.

Ostensible indifference

The method of ostentatious indifference is based on the fact that the manipulator appears indifferent in the eyes of the victim to her ideas and words. He simply waits patiently until the object begins to prove his awareness and significance of what he knows, using important facts. As a result, you can learn everything you need on the desired topic without much effort.

To protect yourself from such provocations, you need to remain attentive to people’s behavior and notice suspicious signs in a timely manner.

Feigned haste

The method of feigned haste in the art of manipulation is no less famous. Here the manipulator begins to pretend that he is in a hurry and speak quickly, “talking his teeth” to the victim. As a result, the latter simply does not have time to comprehend everything that has been said and agrees with the manipulator (for example, to fulfill his request).

Having noticed such behavior in your interlocutor, you need to stop his speech as soon as possible (even interrupt) and, pointing out your own haste, stop the conversation.

Unmotivated anger

The method of unmotivated anger is that the manipulator begins to behave demonstratively and aggressively so that the victim begins to calm him down and makes concessions.

A simple way to counteract such “anger” is to ignore it, do not reassure the manipulator, and remain steadfast. Indifference always has a sobering effect on aggressors.

Untrue stupidity

The method of untruthful stupidity is very simple: the manipulator accuses the victim of illiteracy and stupidity, which makes her confused. The initiator ensures that the victim begins to think and doubt, and uses this moment to prove his position or achieve another goal.

Confidence in the validity of your judgments, as well as the ability to control yourself, will help you avoid falling for this trick.

Simulated bias

The method of simulating bias is that the victim is forced to reject the suspicion that he is biased towards the manipulator, who indicates this. The victim begins to make excuses, praise the interlocutor, point out his positive qualities and advantages, and show goodwill. This helps the manipulator satisfy, for example, the need for vanity or achieve some other result.

It is not difficult to resist imitation bias: you just need to initially refute any possibility of bias, using facts, and not start playing by the manipulator’s rules.

Labeling

The labeling method assumes that the manipulator, talking with the victim about some third person, speaks unflatteringly about him. The negativity shown by the manipulator contributes to the fact that the victim begins to think badly about the third person, and, quite possibly, without even knowing him (if this person is familiar, trust in him may simply be lost). Thus, there are two victims at once - direct and indirect.

Understanding that nothing can be taken at its word will help you avoid manipulation here. Of course, you need to take note of the information, but you need to check it.

Specific terminology

The method of using specific terminology works great when manipulating a person’s consciousness. During the conversation, the manipulator uses terms and concepts unknown to the victim. It turns out that she finds herself in an awkward position and, not wanting to show awkwardness, does not ask about anything. The manipulator wins and can take advantage of the situation.

As the famous saying goes: “it’s better to ask twice than to remain silent once,” so in any such case, do not be shy and try to clarify everything that is not clear.

Game of common people

The method of playing common people can be called specific, because Most often it is used by politicians and important influential people. The manipulator creates an image of “like everyone else,” a completely simple person, which allows him to reduce the distance with people, earn their trust and form the desired image.

You should never take everyone's word for it; You need to objectively evaluate people and try to recognize their motives.

Planned PR

The method of planned PR also belongs to the category of specific ones, because used for PR purposes when it is necessary to create a positive image or image of a product or person. Manipulators (here, as a rule, there are several of them) distribute information among people that carries the best that can be said about the object of PR.

As in many other cases, you can avoid falling into the trap of planned PR through conscious perception of incoming information, its objective assessment and verification.

Link to authorities

The method of citing authorities comes down to the fact that the manipulator, when communicating with the victim, quotes or cites the opinions of famous and influential people, thanks to which he makes the necessary impression on her (and those around him in general).

In order to prevent yourself from being influenced, you need to listen carefully to what they say to you and ask the manipulator clarifying questions, with the help of which you can reveal his incompetence.

Card rigging

The card rigging method is no more complicated than the previous one. The manipulator, talking with the victim, selects several approximately similar facts as arguments in order to put them together and show the problem under discussion from the side that is beneficial to him.

Such manipulation can be countered by citing other facts that reveal the topic under discussion from a side unfavorable for the manipulator.

grin

The method of grinning (or irony) is expressed in the fact that the manipulator demonstrates a disdainful attitude towards the words of the victim, as a result of which she begins to lose her temper, get angry, and lose self-control. As a result, the protective barrier of the psyche is removed and the person is suggestible.

The only and most effective way to combat such manipulation is absolute indifference to the words of the manipulator.

False representation of favorable conditions

The method of falsely presenting advantageous conditions is that the manipulator verbally hints to the victim about the great opportunities that he currently has. If the victim can be convinced of this, the manipulator can influence her so that, for example, she performs some actions that are beneficial to him.

You can resist this method by clearly understanding your own place, your capabilities and conditions. The main thing is not to succumb to provocations and not to do what you shouldn’t do.

These are the most popular techniques and methods of manipulation. Of course, the arsenal of manipulators is much wider, but we will not touch on more specific methods. Instead, we'll tell you about a few secrets of hasty manipulation. They will help you better understand how to manipulate people and protect yourself from manipulation.

Secrets of successful manipulation

The art of manipulating human consciousness is so widespread that we don’t even think that we are becoming its victims. And to become more receptive (and also to improve your skills yourself), you need to know a few secrets of manipulation. We can name four such secrets:

1. Simple, kind and merciful people, capable of altruism and self-sacrifice, are most often susceptible to manipulation. These traits are undoubtedly good, but they make a person more vulnerable.
2. Manipulators successfully use subconscious thoughts, such as the fear of being abandoned or being left alone. By pressing on these points, it becomes very easy to control the actions and even thoughts of others.
3. Manipulators take into account that most people are wary of negative emotions and avoid conflicts. A banal increase in voice or change in tone can be controlled by a person without resorting to the above methods.
4. Manipulation is most successful when used against people who cannot, i.e. refuse. Knowing that such a person is in front of him, the manipulator can be 80% sure that the victim will do what he says.

When communicating, you must always remain vigilant - this is the first step to countering manipulation. It is equally important to know your personal characteristics and this also helps to strengthen your “immunity” against those who want to use you for their own purposes.

If you want to understand the topic in depth, we have three offers for you.

First, read our blog articles:

• George Simon "Who's in Sheep's Clothing? How to recognize a manipulator";
• Nicolas Gueguen “Psychology of manipulation and submission”;
• Victor Sheinov “The Art of Managing People”;
• Vladimir Adamchik “200 ways of successful manipulation”;
• Robert Levin "Mechanisms of manipulation - protection from other people's influence."

And thirdly, watch this interesting video about the tricks of manipulating people. Use your skills only for good and do not succumb to other people’s manipulations. We wish you success!

Recently, the problem of manipulating people, imposing other people’s opinions and views, and turning society into a thoughtless mass has been increasingly discussed on the Internet. Look At Me has compiled a shortlist of the most common techniques and rules that help persuade, win over, inspire and influence people in every possible way, as well as ways to protect yourself from social manipulation.

Social proof,
or the principle of social proof

In the Soviet Union, people first stood in line and only then wondered where it led. “If all these people are waiting, it means the product is good,” everyone thought. The very presence of a queue signaled the value of the product being offered. Thus, the principle of social proof was manifested in Soviet society. Based on the herd instinct, it consists of imitating the behavior of the majority and is a protective function of our brain, freeing the latter from the need to process unnecessary information. This is where the nature of the mainstream lies.

The principle of social proof works especially effectively when a person finds himself in a confusing or ambiguous situation, and he does not have time to really understand it. “In any unclear situation, do as everyone else does” - Social Proof solves all problems at once. When we want to buy a new gadget and are racking our brains over which model to choose, reviews and ratings are often the decisive criteria for us. The principle of social proof has deeply rooted itself in modern business. There is no longer any need to prove to a potential client how good the product is; it is enough to note that the majority think so.

Today, marketers strongly recommend that owners of websites and various pages not advertise counters if the indicators on them are modest. A large number of subscribers is the best sign of quality and a reason to subscribe too. This also applies to site traffic.

Another painful example of using the principle of social proof is sketches and humorous series. Viewers often complain that they are annoyed by the background laughter after every joke. However, this does not affect the effectiveness of the method. People are accustomed to relying on the reactions of others when determining what is funny, and often react not to the joke, but to the off-screen laughter that accompanies it.

By the way, Social proof served as the basis for the emergence of some professions. For example, a claqueur is a person who comes to a performance for a certain fee, applauds the loudest and shouts “Bravo!”, or a classic example is mourners who “set the mood” at a funeral in Brazil or the Philippines.

Group reinforcement method

This technique in some places echoes the previous one, but, unlike it, it is focused on changing human beliefs rather than behavior. According to this principle, when repeating the same thesis many times (ideas, concepts) within a group, its members will eventually accept this statement as truth. American academic and writer Robert Carroll emphasizes that a repeated proposition does not have to be true. It will be believed no matter how theoretically or practically proven it is. Moreover, it is believed that people accept on faith, without critical evaluation, any group values, ideas, doctrines, if they identify themselves with this group and do not want to be branded as outcasts. This mental phenomenon and manifestation of conformity is called indoctrination. Phenomena opposite to indoctrination: “social autonomy”, “criticism”, “non-conformism”.

A colorful example of the work of the group reinforcement method are stereotypes, myths and legends that wander from generation to generation. In addition, the technique is actively used by the media and is an effective tool in information wars. With the help of clever manipulation of facts and various speech tricks, the media impose certain beliefs on us through the systematic repetition of the same thoughts. To combat such trends, some countries are introducing a media education course into their curricula, designed to develop critical thinking in people of all ages.

Rule of reciprocity

The rule of reciprocity states that a person must repay what another person has given him. In simple words - return kindness for kindness. And since any obligations are depressing, you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Therefore, the rule works and is actively used by some “initiates”. Such people may deliberately provide a small favor with the expectation that they will make a larger request in the future.

Fragment from the television series
"Force Majeure" (Suits)

People say: “they take advantage of someone’s kindness.” It is noteworthy that knowledge of the rule of reciprocal exchange does not free a person from the desire to repay his “debts”.

Fragment from the television series “The Mentalist”

Why do supermarkets give you free food to try? Why do various companies give out pens, notepads and other souvenirs to their guests? How to explain free promotions in bars and chewing gum after dinner in restaurants? Do employees want to please customers? No matter how it is.

Request
for help, or the Benjamin Franklin method

One day, Benjamin Franklin needed to establish contact with a person who openly disliked him. Then Benjamin turned to this man with a request to lend him a rare book. Franklin was as polite as possible in his request and thanked the man with even greater politeness when he agreed. After this incident they became good friends.

The essence of the method of the same name is that people love when they are asked for help. Firstly, based on the rule of mutual exchange, a person thinks that, if necessary, he can count on a return service. Secondly, by helping, he feels needed and useful. And this, as they say, is priceless.

By the way, it is believed that in the beginning it is better to ask for more than you want to receive. If they suddenly refuse you, the next time you try, you can voice a real request, and this time it will be awkward to refuse.

Logical rule
chains

Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the desire to be or appear consistent in one’s actions is an innate characteristic of a person, which often forces him to go against his own interests.

The fact is that in modern society consistency is considered a virtue. She is associated with honesty, intelligence, strength and stability. English physicist Michael Faraday said that consistency is valued more than being right. Inconsistent behavior is usually considered a negative quality and is mistaken for duplicity.

In order to force a person to act in a certain way, it is necessary to launch a sequence mechanism in his thinking. Social psychologists call commitment the starting point in this mechanism. A person who has made a commitment (even if unconsciously) will do everything to fulfill it.

Let’s say, if a person is recognized as the best chess player in the city, after this incident he will train three times more, just to justify the obligation and status entrusted to him. The sequence mechanism is launched: “If I am like this, then I should do this, this and that...”.

Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a pleasant consequence for a person of his actions: praise, reward, or reward that encourages a person to perform those actions in the future.

Once a group of Harvard students conducted an interesting experiment. At one of the lectures, the guys agreed that when the teacher moved to one side of the hall, everyone would smile, and when he moved to the opposite side, everyone would frown. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to guess in which part of the audience the lecturer spent most of the lesson. This experiment became known in history as the “Verplanck experiment” and became confirmation that positive feedback has an educational effect on a person.

According to the American psychologist Skinner, praise educates a person more effectively than punishment, which is more likely to harm the individual. Freud confirms his colleague’s theory and, in describing the pleasure principle, emphasizes that a person’s desire to receive positive emotions pushes him to perform actions that reinforce them and are thus associated with pleasure. Consequently, the absence of the “action - pleasure” chain deprives a person of motivation and desire to do something.

Motivation by fear

Aikido method

The specialty of the martial art of Aikido is to use the opponent's strength against him. Adapted to the communication environment, this method is used in tense negotiations or conflict situations and involves returning his own aggression to the opponent in order to get what he wants from the interlocutor.

Newton's law states: the force of action is equal to the force of reaction. Consequently, the more rudely a person responds to his opponent, the more fiercely he defends his position, the more retaliatory aggression he receives. The main principle of Aikido is to win by yielding. To persuade a person to your point of view, first of all you need to agree with him, and “mirror” his manner of speaking and demeaning himself. And then, in a calm tone, offer your own version of the development of events. Thus, a person retains his strength, does not irritate his opponent, and ultimately wins.

A slightly exaggerated example might look like this: “You are a fool. You're doing everything wrong. - Yes, I'm doing everything wrong, because I'm a fool. Let's try to find a way out of this situation together..."

Vertical principle

All famous world dictators convinced their opponents even before they began to speak. They knew how to position their body in space in such a way as to look like a “living argument” in the eyes of their interlocutor.

Firstly, they were always vertically one level above those they were talking to. There is a psychological explanation for this. The fact is that the subconscious initially perceives those who are higher as authorities. Our parents have always been above us. But they were our authorities for many years. This explains why many managers place chairs and desks in their offices so that they can look down on their subordinates.

Also, to our subconscious, a person who takes up a lot of space seems more convincing and right. Sweeping gestures, arms outstretched in a “T-shape” on the back of a chair, or active movement around the hall during a presentation - all this helps to embrace the maximum amount of space and grow in the eyes of the beholder.

Built-in speech commands

Built-in speech commands help the initiator of communication create a certain mood in the recipient, evoke the desired emotion and, accordingly, direct his thoughts in a given direction. An embedded message is a fragment of a phrase that is highlighted by gestures or intonation. In this case, the impact occurs on the subconscious of a person, who may not pay attention to the phrase itself.

Introducing positive language into your speech (words like “pleasant”, “good”, “happiness”, “success”, “trust”, etc.), we make the other person feel happier and more successful. It doesn’t matter what we are talking about and in what context these words are used, the main thing is to highlight them with intonation or gesture.

Spiral of Silence

In the theory of mass communication, there is such a thing as a spiral of silence. Proposed by German political scientist Elisabeth Noel-Neumann, this concept boils down to the idea that people may share a certain point of view, but are afraid to admit it because they think they are in the minority. The spiral of silence is based on the fear of social isolation and begins to work the moment someone confidently expresses their point of view on a socially significant topic. Those who disagree with what they hear prefer to remain silent and not speak out, because they are convinced that they are in the minority and are afraid of isolation.

There is a pattern that accomplished mature individuals do not succumb to the fear of social isolation and are able to express their opinions without regard to the public. It is these people who drive progress and stimulate global change. The second half of humanity is the guarantor of strength and stability in society.

To the question “What is manipulation?” most often you can get an answer about psychological influence in order to achieve a certain personal benefit. However, such influence is often hidden.

What is manipulation

Manipulation is a kind of purpose whose goal is to force a person to take certain actions against his wishes. In this case, the influence is not obvious, but hidden. The essence of manipulation is that the person who is being pressured must himself want to take certain actions, even if it is unprofitable for her.

They resort to it when they are afraid of refusal or are obviously confident in the negative outcome of a particular enterprise. Perhaps even those individuals who do not fully understand what manipulation is, without realizing it themselves, quite often use this psychological technique to achieve their goals. Even children's whims can to some extent be attributed to manipulation.

Why do people resort to this

In order to perform a certain manipulation, there must be a reason, which can be either conscious or subconscious. So, the following forces people to use such methods:

• the danger of finding yourself in a difficult situation or (in this case, the person begins to use others in order to get around inconvenient moments);
• lack of self-confidence often leads to a person subconsciously trying to influence others;
• social pressure, as well as stereotypes associated with a particular situation, often prompt manipulations, the purpose of which is to conceal or justify certain actions;
• a negative attitude towards a certain person, as well as the desire for revenge, often becomes the cause of psychological impact;
• manipulation often becomes an unscrupulous method of achieving selfish goals.

How to neutralize manipulation

Having understood what manipulation is, it is important to familiarize yourself with the methods of neutralizing it. So, to avoid psychological impact, it is recommended to use the following techniques:

• Having recognized the manipulation, you should immediately and openly declare the inadmissibility of such influence on you (if it is caused by self-doubt, then such a sharp response will immediately discourage your opponent);
• revealing the intentions of the manipulator and exposing her to others (publication of inconvenient facts will make the influence ineffective and inappropriate);
• if you feel pressure from your opponent, call him to a frank conversation in order to clarify the situation and determine the motives for his behavior (during the conversation, a compromise can be found);
• A fairly effective method of combating manipulation is to criticize the person who is trying to put pressure on you;
• if you understand that diplomatic methods have not helped you get rid of outside pressure, resist your opponent by entering into open confrontation with him (the confrontation will unsettle him);
• try to respond to manipulation with manipulation.

How to understand that you are being manipulated?

Manipulation (impact) can have a variety of manifestations, and in order to effectively resist it, it is important to be able to recognize it. So, it is accompanied by the following situations:

• a feeling of psychological discomfort and lack of logic in the sequence of events;
• the contradiction between the verbal and non-verbal messages of the opponent;
• tension in conversation;
• mood swings in the manipulator depending on whether he manages to achieve what he wants;
• atmosphere of mistrust between interlocutors.

Simple tricks

The following simple manipulations are distinguished:

• an attempt to achieve one’s own goal, relying on a feeling of resentment or guilt (in this case, the opponent begins to feel obligated to please the “victim”);
• psychological impact by silence is aimed at demonstrating mental distress and drawing attention to one’s experiences;
• manipulation of anger and other negative feelings is based on the fact that the blackmailer demonstrates his unbalanced psychological state, trying to get certain actions or concessions from you;
• pressure on the feeling of love is intended for close people (often such situations arise in families or couples when one of the parties speculates on a good attitude, trying to achieve selfish goals);
• promising and instilling a certain hope in the interlocutor is a fairly common method that is used to provoke a person to specific actions or concessions;
• vanity manipulation involves exerting pressure by demonstrating high status;
• Sarcasm and ridicule can unsettle a person, which makes him more malleable in terms of control.

Complex manipulations

Complex manipulation methods can be described as follows:

• a technique such as shifting emphasis is quite common (the same news can be presented in completely different ways if you focus on certain facts);
• certain words or situations can cause a storm of emotions in a person, which facilitates the process of manipulating him;
• in order to give a person instructions for certain actions, it is not necessary to speak about it directly (for this it is more reasonable to use interrogative intonation or the form of a sentence);
• as well as playing on strong emotions in order to make their illegal actions less significant against their background;
• if the manipulator does not have a clear argument for his behavior and demands, he begins to aggressively demonstrate resentment, trying to avoid a constructive conversation;
• the method of shifting a dispute is that, without sufficiently convincing arguments in defense of an argument, a person begins to actively criticize it;
• to confuse the opponent, the manipulator can bombard him with a whole stream of questions with the goal of later accusing him of misunderstanding and unwillingness to give a detailed answer.

How does this happen

The algorithm for manipulating public consciousness involves going through several successive stages:

• drawing up a psychological portrait of a group or a specific person in order to determine basic beliefs and values;
• bringing the planned situation into line with the current climate in society through influence through the media and other techniques;
• introduction of certain mechanisms that will facilitate the transition to a new state;
• subsequent monitoring of the situation in order to prevent deviation from the given course of development.

Types of manipulations

Trying to achieve certain goals, a person can use various types of psychological influence techniques. In this regard, it is important to understand what manipulations are usually distinguished:

• conscious manipulation is purposeful and planned (the person is clearly aware of the algorithm of his actions to achieve the desired effect);
• unconscious manipulation does not have a specific goal, and the individual has not developed a clear plan and idea of ​​methods of influencing the opponent (often the scenario develops chaotically, under the influence of strong emotions);
• linguistic (or communicative) manipulation is based on the oratorical abilities of the individual, through which he seeks to provoke the interlocutor to certain actions;
• Behavioral manipulations are based on the performance of a certain kind of behavior and actions that do not require additional verbal techniques.

Means of manipulation

In order to perform the manipulation, an individual can use the following means:

• in order to convince the opponent that he is right and call for specific actions;
• the emotional component, which is aimed at demonstrating one’s own feelings or evoking those in the interlocutor;
• appeal to urgency, which unsettles the opponent and requires quick, rash decisions;
• constant repetition of the same statement in order to put pressure on the interlocutor;
• highlighting a certain fragment from the general context of events in order to present the situation from the most advantageous side;
• talking about a problem without mentioning the context and a number of important circumstances that can clarify the real state of affairs;
• suppression of opposing opinion through speculation;
• use to convince others that one is right;
• presenting one’s own opinion as objective and confirmed information from reliable sources;
• putting pressure on the interlocutor using one’s authority or high social position.

Vulnerability

The following individuals are most likely to be manipulated:

• those who want to please others in everything and receive constant approval;
• people who are afraid of quarrels and hostile attitudes;
• dependent and indecisive individuals (only depending on others do they feel emotional comfort);
• trusting people, confident in the honesty and correctness of others;
• altruists who consider it their duty to help everyone in everything;
• impulsive individuals who make important decisions under the influence of momentary emotions;
• young people who do not yet have their own formed life position and are in search of authority;
• single people who are looking for communication and friendly relationships;
• insecure individuals who consider the opinions of others to be more correct and rational than their own.

Conclusion

Manipulation of people is a powerful mechanism of psychological influence (often hidden), which involves forcing the interlocutor to take some action (the latter must be sure that he himself wants it). Such phenomena can occur both consciously and unconsciously. Moreover, the success of the manipulation depends both on the person himself and on the psychological characteristics of the individual on whom the influence is directed.

The reasons for manipulation may lie in the character of the individual or in external circumstances. So, most often it is resorted to by people who are terrified of crisis situations and are trying in every possible way to avoid them. Also, these kinds of techniques are used by insecure individuals who simply do not see any other way for themselves to achieve their goals. Manipulation can cause strained relationships between people and is also an unscrupulous method of obtaining benefits.

In order to resist manipulation, you need to find the strength to give a tough answer and issue a warning about the inadmissibility of such actions. A person must understand that his intentions have been revealed. It is better if this fact receives wide publicity in order to block further paths to action for the manipulator.

10 ways to control the masses

Managing human behavior is one of the primary tasks of the state. True, one must understand that the state is created by its citizens in order to coordinate their own interests, but state or political power finds its own interests, and its primary task becomes the management of those who elected and support it for the purpose of trivial self-preservation.

If people begin to show dissatisfaction with the current policy, which stems from the narrow corporate interests of the power elite and their proxies, then in order to avoid violence against the people, this can only be resisted by propaganda, the instrument of which is the media.

Noam Chomsky- Professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, linguist, philosopher, social activist, author and political analyst, compiled a list of “10 ways to manipulate” the media.

Method No. 1. Distraction

The main element of managing society is to divert people's attention from important problems and decisions made by political and economic ruling circles, through the constant saturation of the information space with unimportant messages.

The technique of distraction is very important in order to prevent citizens from gaining important knowledge in the field of modern philosophical movements, advanced science, economics, psychology, neurobiology and cybernetics.

In return, the information space is filled with news of sports, show business, mysticism and other information components based on relict human instincts from eroticism to hardcore pornography and from everyday soap stories to dubious ways of making easy and quick money.

“...constantly distract the attention of citizens from real social problems, switching it to topics of no real importance. To ensure that citizens are constantly busy with something and do not have time to think; from the field to the pen, like all other animals...” (N. Chomsky quote from the book “Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars”).

Method number 2. Create problems and then suggest ways to solve them

This method is also called problem-reaction-solution. A problem is created, a certain “situation”, designed to cause a certain reaction among the population so that it itself demands the adoption of measures that are necessary for the ruling circles. For example, allowing a spiral of violence in cities to unfold or organizing bloody terrorist attacks so that citizens demand the adoption of laws to strengthen security measures and policies that infringe on civil liberties.

Or cause some kind of economic, terrorist or man-made crisis in order to force people in their minds to take measures to eliminate its consequences, albeit in violation of their social rights, as a “necessary evil”. But you need to understand that crises are not born on their own.

Method No. 3. Method of gradual application

To achieve the adoption of any unpopular measure, it is enough to introduce it gradually, day after day, year after year. This is exactly how fundamentally new socio-economic conditions (neoliberalism) were imposed globally in the 80s and 90s of the last century.

Minimizing the functions of the state, privatization, uncertainty, instability, mass unemployment, wages that no longer provide a decent life. If all this happened at the same time, it would certainly lead to a revolution.

Method number 4. Postponement of execution

Another way to push through an unpopular decision is to present it as “painful and necessary” and to obtain the consent of citizens at the moment for its implementation in the future. It is much easier to agree to make any sacrifices in the future than in the present.

Firstly, because it won't happen immediately. Secondly, because the mass of the people are always inclined to cherish naive hopes that “tomorrow everything will change for the better” and that the sacrifices that are demanded of them will be avoided. This gives citizens more time to become comfortable with the idea of ​​change and to accept it humbly when the time comes.

Method No. 5. Treat people like little children

Most propaganda speeches aimed at the general public use arguments, characters, words, and intonation as if they were talking about school-age children with developmental delays or mentally handicapped individuals.

The more someone tries to mislead the listener, the more he tries to use infantile speech patterns. Why?

If someone addresses a person as if he is 12 years old or younger, then due to suggestibility, the response or reaction of this person will, with a certain degree of probability, also lack critical assessment, which is typical for children aged 12 years or younger .

Naive reasoning and truisms embedded in political speeches are designed for the perception of a wide audience, to which the above and below described methods of manipulating their consciousness are already applied.

Method number 6. Emphasize emotions much more than thoughts

Influencing emotions is a classic technique of neurolinguistic programming, aimed at blocking people’s ability to rational analysis, and, ultimately, the ability to critically comprehend what is happening.

On the other hand, the use of the emotional factor allows you to open the door to the subconscious in order to introduce thoughts, desires, fears, concerns, compulsions or stable patterns of behavior there. Spells about how cruel terrorism is, how unjust the government is, how the hungry and humiliated suffer, leave the true reasons for what is happening “behind the scenes.” Emotions are the enemy of logic.

Method No. 7. Keep people ignorant by cultivating mediocrity

To ensure that people become incapable of understanding the techniques and methods used to control them and subjugate them to their will. The quality of education provided to the lower social classes should be as meager and mediocre as possible, so that the ignorance separating the lower social classes from the higher ones remains at a level that the lower classes cannot overcome.

This also includes the propaganda of so-called “modern art”, which represents the arrogance of mediocrity, claiming fame, but unable to reflect reality through those works of art that do not require detailed explanation and agitation for their “genius”. Those who do not recognize the remake are declared backward and stupid and their opinion is not subject to wide publicity.

Method No. 8. Encourage citizens to admire mediocrity

To instill in the population the idea that it is fashionable to be stupid, vulgar and ill-mannered. This method is inseparable from the previous one, since everything mediocre in the modern world appears in huge quantities in any social sphere - from religion and science to art and politics.

Scandals, yellow pages, witchcraft and magic, dubious humor and populist actions are all good to achieve one goal - to prevent people from having the opportunity to expand their consciousness to the vast expanses of the real world.

Method number 9. Increasing feelings of self-guilt

Make a person believe that only he is to blame for his own misfortunes that occur due to the lack of his mental capabilities, abilities or efforts.

As a result, instead of rebelling against the economic system, a person begins to engage in self-deprecation, blaming himself for everything, which causes a depressed state, leading, among other things, to inaction. And without action there can be no talk of any revolution!

Politicians, scientists (especially psychotherapists) and religious leaders use quite effective doctrines to achieve the effect of self-flagellation of patients and flocks in order to manage their life-affirming interests, directing actions in the right direction.

Method No. 10. Know more about people than they know about themselves

Over the past 50 years, advances in the development of science have led to the formation of an ever-widening gap between the knowledge of ordinary people and the information possessed and used by the ruling classes.

Thanks to biology, neurobiology and applied psychology, the “system” has at its disposal advanced knowledge about humans, both in the field of physiology and psyche.

The system managed to learn more about an ordinary person than he knows about himself. This means that in most cases the system has more power and controls people to a greater extent than they do themselves.

Every person is a consumer or supplier in any social sphere (trade, communications, family relationships, leisure). Interpersonal interaction (real, virtual) is an area of ​​consumption in which the problem of manipulation is widespread. But regardless of the sphere, all manipulations are based on common psychological mechanisms, which leaves the relevant question: how to protect yourself and learn to resist manipulation and recognize it.

To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the essence of manipulation as a social and psychological phenomenon, to learn about the types and techniques of manipulation, and the principles of influence. And, of course, understand the methods of resistance and choose an effective system of confrontation.

Every sphere of life and any system of relationships (parent-child, adult-adult, employee-boss, seller-customer) is permeated with manipulation techniques.

• The media voices news about how people against their will take out loans, buy goods, join organizations or follow someone’s recommendations (for example, the sensational activities of A. Chumak in the 80s or “MMM” in the 90s "and similar modern pyramids).
• The urgency of the problem is also determined by the increased risk situation on the Internet among young people. For example, death groups or mobile games based on manipulation of the consciousness of adolescents and psychological effects on the mobile psyche.
• Advertising, fortune tellers, traditional healers - a system of manipulation and suggestion.

Manipulation is the control of consciousness for the benefit of the manipulator. And this happens at every step.

What is manipulation

Psychological manipulation is a control effect on a person and his psyche on the part of the manipulator. In this case, the true goal is hidden, called a false one, and the advantage is achieved at the expense of the victim.

The victim of a manipulator is a person who is influenced against his will to shape his needs and motives.

A manipulator is a person who influences the minds of other people. There are 4 types of manipulators:

• active,
• passive,
• competitive
• indifferent.

At the same time, according to the type of behavior of the manipulator, we can also distinguish:

• dictator
• rag,
• bully,
• judge.

The names of the behavior models speak for themselves.

The opposite of a manipulator is an actualizer. In psychology, it is generally accepted that both opposites are inherent in a person, but, as always, the one that he feeds more wins. The task of a person in order to become a person is to learn to be an actualizer.

The comparative characteristics of the manipulator and the actualizer are as follows (table below).

Basis of manipulation

Manipulation, as T.V. Barlas notes in his work, is based on a person’s motives, or more precisely, the influence on motives.

• Usually several motives are involved, for example, in the world of work it is the motive of earnings, prestige, personal growth, the motive of interest in the work itself.
• However, as a rule, one of them prevails.

There is an opinion that a person begins to manipulate someone in the event of his own internal conflict of motives.

Signs of manipulation

We are manipulated when:

• forced to do something we don’t want or didn’t plan;
• our contribution to the common cause is greater than that of our opponent;
• the interlocutor is not interested in our well-being.

Types and techniques of manipulation

There are several options for manipulation. For example, we can distinguish indirect and direct.

Direct manipulation

It implies the influence on consciousness by rational arguments, that is, by the real characteristics of the product (deed, action). This is relevant in the case when a person has decided that he needs it, but does not have specific guidelines (for what and what exactly).

Indirect impact

It is used in the case when a person does not intend to acquire a thing (act in any way), but they want to force it on him through psychological manipulation. Two techniques are common in this context: missed opportunity and exclusivity.

• The first is based on the fear that what is missing will become more valuable. In trading, these are promotions, discounts, “last hours”, “last days”, “last goods”. In relationships, these are phrases like “If we don’t go to the resort, then I will leave you.”
• The exclusivity technique affects the consumer's self-esteem. That is, a feeling of self-satisfaction and dignity when purchasing a VIP (premium) product or marrying a girl for whom “a crowd of suitors was running after.”

Impact on the subconscious

This is perhaps the most effective and favorite (especially by advertisers) method. These techniques are usually used in advertising, media, or product presentations from fraudulent companies.

Associations

The principle of this technology is based on building connections. For example, in advertising, where chocolate helps you meet people. At the subconscious level, this will remain as an attitude to buy this product. That is, we are talking about creating associative connections between the product and personal value or pleasure:

• prestige and status;
• love and marriage;
• sexuality and attractiveness;
• family well-being;
• luck;
• comfort (moral and material);
• history and culture (national values);
• elimination of illness and pain.

Trance

This technique includes:

• abundance of personnel, frequency of their changes, that is, overload of consciousness;
• visual demonstration of a trance state (freezing in one position, without speech or movement);
• ridiculous phrases and contradictions, blunders (the consciousness understands, the subconscious absorbs);
• growing tension with an unexpected outcome.

Game as manipulation

At the level of intimate-personal communication, manipulations and motives are carried out in the form of a game, for example, according to E. Berne, the most common is a quarrel (scandal). Its components include:

• trick (discussion of a sore subject in an inappropriate situation);
• vulnerable spot (urgent need, important motive, which is constantly in the attention of the second “player”);
• interactions (replicas gradually gaining volume and scope);
• stupefaction and denouement (temporary or final quarrel);
• gain (existential, that is, confirmation of one’s belief, or psychological, that is, the achievement of an unconscious motive).

The same game scheme, by the way, can be found in trading:

• the seller throws a trick (“This model is the best, but it’s more expensive”);
• a person feels a blow to a vulnerable spot (wealth);
• buys an item (resolution);
• and then regrets the purchase and doesn’t understand how it happened.

However, games in close interpersonal relationships are not necessarily manipulative and are somewhat different from overt manipulative games.

• In personal games, both participants must be active, they are usually not aware of their true motives, both participants win, but the winning has no practical implementation, the game lasts a long time.
• During manipulation, one participant is active, his motives are conscious, the gain is practical, and the manipulation is short.

Tricks and manipulations in communication

In the sphere of communication, R.V. Kozyakov identifies tricks and manipulations. There are 3 groups in total.

Organizational and procedural

Suitable for heating up the atmosphere during discussions, negotiations, conversations (more relevant for business communication). These include:

• formation of a primary attitude (tuning the partner in the manner desired by the manipulator);
• provision of materials the day before;
• avoiding repeated discussion;
• the atmosphere is heated by the aggressors of the dispute;
• primary continuity in voting;
• suspending the discussion on the desired option;
• selective loyalty in compliance with regulations;
• pseudo-decision making;
• break in discussion;
• letting off steam on unimportant issues;
• accidental lack of documents;
• excessive information;
• loss of documents;
• ignoring suggestions;
• abrupt change of topic.

brain teaser

These include:

• uncertainty of thesis;
• failure to comply with the law of sufficient cause;
• vicious circle of evidence;
• cause-and-effect syllogism;
• incomplete refutation;
• wrong analogies.

Psychological

The widest group, used for any type, style and form of communication:

• irritation of the opponent;
• use of unclear words and terms;
• unexpectedly fast pace of discussion;
• turning the dispute into speculation;
• reading thoughts for suspicion;
• reference to higher interests without deciphering them;
• judgments like “this is banal”;
• accustoming to a specific thought;
• understatement with a hint of special motives;
• reference to authority;
• accusation of utopian ideas;
• flattery or compliment;
• false shame (sometimes with reproach);
• belittlement by irony;
• demonstration of resentment;
• the authority or frankness of the statement;
• double-entry bookkeeping;
• apparent inattention;
• misunderstanding or miscommunication;
• practical unacceptability;
• reliance on a past statement;
• labels;
• substitution of information;
• visible support;
• linguistic cosmetics;
• reducing fact to personal opinion;
• argument selection;
• ridicule;
• Trojan horse;
• boomerang;
• silence;
• half-truth;
• lie;
• carrot and stick;
• multi-questioning;
• “Do you have something against it?”

What does the success of manipulation depend on?

Not every impact on the psyche is successful. Why are some people easily manipulated, while others are not at all; Why is it easy to manipulate a person in one situation, but difficult to manipulate in another? Not every condition ensures the success of manipulation. The manipulation is successful:

• with the authority of the manipulator;
• when the victim is ill or weak;
• in an appropriate environment (for a fortune teller it is important to fill the room with mysticism);
• when the victim’s personal qualities are favorable for the manipulator (uncertainty, modesty, timidity);
• with developed abilities and education of the manipulator (in matters of techniques);
• with competent influence of the manipulator on the motives and interests of the victim;
• when the victim is uneducated in the matter of manipulation.

Methods and techniques for resisting manipulation

Manipulation is counteracted by internal natural and conscious techniques used by a person.

Analysis of the situation

Before choosing a resistance technique, it is necessary to analyze the game (manipulation) according to the following plan:

1. Identify the main feature: the obvious contradiction between the real result and the put forward goals of interaction.
2. Determine the specific type (game or manipulation) and possible winnings. If one participant gets a practical gain, it’s manipulation, but if the other gets a psychological gain, it’s a game. If there is no practical gain at all, it’s a game.
3. Reveal the true motives and goals of the participants. They are the ones who determine the outcome. Or determine a specific form of manipulation from those mentioned earlier.

Resistance

Resistance to manipulation can be passive or active.

Passive resistance

It is characterized by:

• delayed spontaneous reactions to provocations;
• attack speed limit;
• analysis of the situation;
• forcing the manipulator to abandon his plans or reveal them.

This type of resistance is effective when the victim is confused or does not want to spoil the relationship with the manipulator.

Forms of passive protection include:

• ignoring (complete or partial) words (lack of reaction);
• unexpected but tactful silence;
• imitation that what was said was not heard;
• agreement with everything (“yes, you are right, I’m wrong”);
• repeating the manipulator's request, but with a questioning intonation.

As a rule, the manipulator does not expect such a reaction or quickly recognizes this resistance and then retreats.

Obviously, these forms require great self-control from the potential victim. This can be achieved using certain techniques:

1. Looking. Focusing not on the words of the manipulator, but on his face (moreover, his gaze should be as independent and calm as possible) or on the surrounding environment.
2. Observation. Presenting the manipulator in a different form (shorter, fatter, naked, gray or too bright) or morally superior to him (sincere understanding that aggression follows because of the deep unhappiness of the manipulator), detachment (pauses necessary to select a worthy and tactful response) .
3. You should not try to insult the manipulator.

Active resistance

Involves the opposite behavior: exposure and retaliation. You can use 4 methods:

1. Before the conversation (discussion, interaction), open discussion of the inadmissibility of manipulation. However, this technique can rarely be planned and is often violated.
2. Then it is recommended to pay attention to revealing the essence of the trick. Tell everyone publicly about the specific type of manipulation identified, its author, his actions and intentions (“Are you trying to fool us all here, Ivan Ivanovich”).
3. A repeated reminder of the inadmissibility of manipulation. It is enough to hint to the manipulator that he has been exposed.
4. Counter ploy. The last option is active resistance, which represents a clear confrontation and competition in the skill of manipulation. But the winner is usually the one who was able to retreat in time.

Subconscious defenses

Each person who suspects manipulation in his address usually turns on subconscious basic defenses:

• care,
• exile,
• blocking,
• control,
• fading,
• ignoring.

Sometimes there is a complex reaction of several basic ones. But usually this is not the best outcome for resolving a manipulation situation, that is, the option of “walking away and slamming the door” does not relieve a person from the position of a victim. That is why specific methods of resistance, conscious and controlled, specially learned and practiced, are more effective.

Does the manipulator give himself away?

Manipulation is closely related to lying (withholding information or presenting incorrect facts). Therefore, we can safely say that a nonverbal manipulator, like a liar, is a nonverbal manipulator. This means that you can suspect manipulation if you are careful.

• Common to all people are increased breathing or blinking when lying, a feeling of a lump in the throat, tension in the facial muscles, reddening of the cheeks, and changes in the pupils.
• Another indicator is a change in voice (timbre and tempo, intonation).
• Of course, there are more individual indicators that can only be recorded from a person you know well. Read more about this in the article.
• At the same time, you can manipulate using well-known gestures, for example, open palms - a sign of honesty and openness.
• But on the other hand, it also works in the opposite direction. The more a person repeats this gesture, the less he lies and the less people lie to him. This is how our subconscious works.
• Another gesture characteristic of manipulators is putting your right leg forward when greeting and trying to place your palm on top. By detecting this gesture and turning the manipulator's hand over, you can accidentally hint at your strength and thus take a dominant position. But the ideal is to achieve equal status (respect for oneself and others).

Nonverbal signs should be taken into account at the second stage of the manipulation detection algorithm. And after that, depending on personal abilities, you can resort to passive or active forms of resistance.