Question

What is psychological manipulation?​

Answer 1

Psychological manipulation is a tactic used to influence another person's behavior or thoughts often for the manipulator's benefit, employing deceptive and underhanded strategies. Social psychological factors like cognitive biases, group influence, and persuasive techniques contribute to the effectiveness of manipulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

What is Psychological Manipulation?

Psychological manipulation is a social influence that aims to change the behavior or perception of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. This type of influence is often used to gain power, control, or privileges at the expense of the recipient. Manipulators use various methods to alter or control the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of their target.

Some psychologists believe that the entirety of human behavior, including our thoughts and feelings, can be understood in terms of operant conditioning and other basic physical factors. They suggest that our behavior can be predicted if we understand the psychological principles at play.

Factors Contributing to Psychological Manipulation

Several factors contribute to the susceptibility of an individual to psychological manipulation. These include:

• Cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and belief perseverance.
• Psychological effects such as the Misinformation Effect and the need for closure.
• Social and group influences that affect human behavior.
• Personal psychological states, including self-deception and projection.

Persuasion is a key component of manipulation and is studied within the subfield of social psychology. Techniques such as compliance strategies and the use of attitudes and persuasion help manipulators achieve their desired outcomes.

Social psychology explains how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. This encompasses the ways in which people can be influenced, both subtly and overtly, by factors such as social roles, norms, and scripts, as well as through deliberate psychological manipulation.

Answer 2

Psychological manipulation is the art of influencing a person’s thoughts, beliefs, and actions or how they perceive things, often to one's own advantage. It can involve subtle or overt techniques, such as gaslighting, brainwashing, and emotional exploitation which, when repeatedly enacted on a person, can result in a diminished sense of reality and self-esteem, allowing the manipulator easier access to the victim's thoughts and actions.