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Correio newspaper | 7 signs of manipulation that are often ignored

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7 signs of manipulation that are often ignored

7 signs of manipulation that are often ignored

It is important to pay attention to signs that a person is trying to influence or control you.

  • Photo by the author Portal Edicase

Published on October 24, 2024 at 1:23 pm

Understanding harmful attitudes is essential to preserving your well-being (Image: Yuriy2012 | Shutterstock)

Understanding harmful attitudes is essential to preserving your well-being Credit: Image: Yuriy2012 | Shutterstock

Manipulation manifests itself in unexpected ways and appears in social and family relationships, with carefully applied methods to control attitudes and decisions. In this sense, awareness about such practices is essential to reduce vulnerability and develop defense mechanisms, avoiding psychological damage.

A study published in Behavior Research Methods shows how people can be vulnerable to manipulation, especially in social and digital contexts, and rarely realize they are being influenced or controlled.

According to psychiatrist Adiel Rios, master from Unifesp, full member of the Brazilian Psychiatric Association (ABP) and the ABP Interventional Psychiatry Commission, among the most common forms of manipulation are the use of guilt, insecurity and victimization. “Manipulators exploit primary emotions such as fear, anger or compassion, especially among more empathetic or insecure people,” he explains.

Therefore, recognizing these strategies is the first step to protecting yourself from their effects. Check out 7 manipulation behaviors listed by experts below:

1. Cause feelings of guilt

According to Deborah Klajnman, master and doctor in Psychoanalysis from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), when we are judged for something we shouldn’t carry, we fall into the guilt trap. “This maneuver leads us to act for the benefit of the manipulators, believing that, by giving in, we are alleviating their emotional discomfort,” he says.

For Maico Costa, master and doctor in Psychology and Society from Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) and post-doctorate in Psychology from USP, guilt leads people to try to correct situations beyond their control, creating a cycle of self-judgment and emotional dependence. “Manipulators take advantage of this vulnerability, making the victim feel always in debt and in search of validation”, he adds.

2. Taking advantage of other people’s insecurity

When someone identifies their vulnerabilities, it creates fertile ground for manipulation. “The manipulator uses criticism, sarcasm or disqualification to exploit the victim’s insecurity, making them doubt themselves and making them more vulnerable to their control”, emphasizes Deborah Klajnman.

3. Victimizing yourself to awaken compassion

Some people adopt the role of victim using narratives of suffering or weakness to attract compassion. This posture is an effective manipulation tool, as it directly appeals to empathy, according to Adiel Rios.

“This behavior may reflect difficulties in dealing with one’s own suffering and a desire to transfer emotional responsibility, and is sometimes an unconscious or deliberate tactic to obtain attention and control”, adds the psychiatrist.

4. Praising out of self-interest

Flattery can be used as a strategy to weaken the victim’s defenses, making them more vulnerable to manipulation. “The individual uses this technique to gain confidence. Without the target realizing the true intention behind the compliments, he ends up giving in, because he feels he must return the ‘affection’”, says Maico Costa.

Controllers seek to distance the victim from the people around them to increase control (Image: Reksita Wardani | Shutterstock)

Controllers seek to distance the victim from the people around them to increase control Credit: Image: Reksita Wardani | Shutterstock

5. Isolating you from others

The manipulator seeks to remove the person from their support networks in a subtle way, making them feel dependent on them for guidance and emotional support. “Over time, the isolated person loses critical sense and becomes more susceptible to believing the manipulator’s narratives, accepting them without much resistance”, says Deborah Klajnman.

6. Generate discord to gain control

Some individuals create conflicts in trivial situations. By fomenting riots, they make others feel like they need to walk on “eggshells” to avoid further confrontations. This behavior confers power and control, as those around them end up giving in in an attempt to maintain peace and avoid further tension.

“This type of manipulation is effective because it causes a cycle of anxiety in people who live with the manipulator, whose tension ensures continuous efforts to please him or avoid confrontation. This scenario reinforces his power over them”, reports Adiel Rios.

7. Pretend ignorance

There are manipulators who adopt a posture of apparent ignorance or ineptitude to avoid responsibility. By pretending to be ignorant or incapable, they delegate complex tasks to other people, remaining distant from the results and exempt from any consequences.

“This behavior can manifest itself in people who have an intense fear of being held responsible for failures or negative outcomes. By feigning ignorance, they manage to manipulate the victims’ expectations, exercising indirect control”, concludes Maico Costa.

Manipulation and mental disorders

Although the risk of physical violence and manipulation is greater in the population without mental illness, manipulation is not completely isolated from a psychiatric perspective. A study published in the Journal of Family Violence explores the relationship between personality traits such as psychopathy, narcissism and sadism as significant predictors of manipulation that often leave victims disoriented and emotionally shaken.

“This behavior is more common in people with personality disorders, such as borderline, narcissistic and antisocial. The individual may present impulsive, aggressive or coldly calculated behavior, solely for their own benefit”, points out Adiel Rios.

Ways to get rid of manipulation

According to Maico Costa, from the outside, it may seem easy to recognize a manipulator. But, when the relationship, whatever it may be, involves feelings such as affection, admiration and respect, this perception becomes more fragile.

“Observe recurring behaviors such as emotional blackmail, inversion of blame and personal devaluation. Trust your intuition and, if necessary, seek professional help to validate your perception of reality and strengthen your ability to distinguish unconscious and malicious manipulations”, concludes the professional.

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Michelle Williams

I'm Michelle Williams, an enthusiastic author specializing in captivating entertainment content on Rwcglobally.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for the latest trends, I aim to engage readers with compelling narratives that reflect the dynamic landscape of the entertainment industry. Join me on Rwcglobally.com to explore the world of film, television, music, and more, as we uncover the stories that define contemporary culture.

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