But, with what manipulation techniques can they try to mold us at will without us realizing it and in what situations?
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General psychological manipulation techniques
There are people who have developed and perfected an enormous ability to mask their real intentions behind certain behaviors. Given that there is no defined pattern of manipulation, nor is there a single profile of the manipulative individual and that there are multiple manipulation techniques; It can be very difficult to detect when we are being victims of these tricks to take advantage of us.
Let’s look at some psychological manipulation techniques, but then focus more specifically on manipulation techniques in advertising .
1. Coerce to profit
Probably one of the oldest manipulation techniques used is to exhibit brute force so that we do what they ask us. Normally, it is usually combined with certain doses of aggressiveness, in order to guarantee greater intimidation and, therefore, more likely that we will obey.
People with more passive profiles have all the numbers to give in to any of these pressures without showing a fight . Thus, the coercer knows that what he wishes will be done. It is the main trait of antisocial personalities, which makes them lack basic social skills that allow them to seek other more acceptable methods.
2. Emotional blackmail
This emotional manipulation technique is usually seen between people who are united by some type of bond or affective bond (partner, family or friends, basically).
What prevails is the interest of the emotional blackmailer, who will use the guilt, provocation and discomfort of her victim to manipulate her as long as she gives in to her demands. Their weapons are the constant threats about catastrophic consequences that will occur if they do not do what is required of them, or if they try to pity and pity them.
3. belittling
Disregarding or despising another person is a very typical characteristic of manipulative people that is easily detectable if one looks closely. It is about that type of person incapable of recognizing the person with whom he speaks, dedicated especially to nullifying the opinions of others and attacking through sarcasm or personal allusions everything with which he does not agree.
Under this psychological manipulation technique that acts as a shell, they hide a personality that is insecure and fearful of facing the world around them, which they consider hostile and dangerous.
4. The misrepresentation of your words
Where people who use the word interpretation trick feel most comfortable, it is in groups of several individuals: seefrom nuclei of primary relationships, such as the family ; Even at work or with friends.
The modus operandi they employ is based on reworking the words of one of the chosen interlocutors, to give them a new meaning different from the one originally intended to be conveyed. With this old technique of psychological manipulation , the aim is to embarrass the victim, making her understand that she has gone too far with her comment or that the misrepresenter has been hurt in some way.
Thus, recriminating this attitude before others and altering its purpose, the distorter may end up looking like the victim; while the real victim remains as the ogre of the show.
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5. Playing the victim
“Why does everything bad happen to me
” or “everyone is against me!”, are the typical refrains that are heard from those who live too aware of their pain and who are unable to admit no responsibility for their actions, so they attribute everything that happens to them to external factors (uncontrollable situations or third parties). Some call emotional manipulation techniques like this ‘throwing balls out’.
Through this speech, they want to make believe that he / she is the victimconstant abuse of others. His tactic is to try to reach the hearts of the listeners, so that they feel pity and/or guilt, so that, when his target lowers his guard, he will take advantage of the confusion to make a request so that the other satisfies it.
Sometimes the actual victim realizes later that she has already been used, but she can’t do anything about it because she has already done her job.
6. Constant flattery
Under a mantle of praise for our best abilities, flattering our qualities and appealing to our know-how ; lazy people, afraid to act or unable to do so, try to pass us the reins of a situation they refuse to face, so that we are the ones who do what, from the beginning, they did not even consider.
Without knowing it, we can fall into the trap of feeling compassion for their words and feeling so blinded by our ego, previously inflated with praise, that we end up doing what the manipulator does not want to do. Thus, if we fall into the nets, we will end up spending time and energy on a task that is neither our responsibility nor will we be thanked when we have finished it.
7. Gaslightning
This English term is used to designate a technique of psychological manipulation that is seen a lot in situations of abuse. The idea is that the abuser manages to make his victim believe that her psychological abilities are not working at full capacity and that the reasons for which she claims to be angry did not really take place.
In this way, the victim is convinced that what he claims was never promised and ends up being blamed for inventing false memories. The consequence is the discomfort of the victim , who will doubt something of which she was completely sure, generating insecurity and questioning her thoughts; she reaching the point of ending up asking for forgiveness, in the most extreme cases.
This is the perfect moment for the abuser to attack the victim, already weakened, with reproachful comments such as “do you realize how you’ve gotten so silly
” or “yours is not normal”; who do not seek more than to violate their objective more than her.
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Manipulation techniques in advertising
The field of advertising has improved its manipulation techniques since they began to use typical psychology techniques for their promotions. Let’s look at some of the more obvious examples.
1. Classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning
Behavioral psychology has been of great help to the world of advertising and marketing, not only to explain learning processes and behavior .
On the one hand, the most effective psychological manipulation techniques have emerged from the classical conditioning of Pavlov and Watson and are present in most commercials. When brands emphasize the positive points of a product and we see the happiness reflected in the faces of the protagonists of the specific ad, they are using this classic type of conditioning.
On the other hand, the operant or instrumental conditioning of Skinner, we see it clearly when they give us free samples of a product in the supermarket, for example. The consequence is that if we try it and like it, we will buy it; Yes No No.
2. Emotional Marketing
Appealing to the customer’s emotions is a hackneyed trick in the commercial sector. Although it may seem that we decide after subjecting the alternatives that are presented to us to a rational analysis, many psychologists and experts in persuasion techniques for sales consider that emotions are a key part of our decisions.
As they argue, our emotions serve as a reference when deciding on one option or another. Thus, what we associate with a previous positive experience will have more numbers for us to buy or to find it more attractive . In this aspect, the design of advertising campaigns will have an important role.
3. Zeigarnik effect
It is a very effective psychological manipulation technique that plays on expectations and suspense. Using the Zeigarnik Effect in the field of marketing, it is expected to attract new customers.
We see it very clearly in the trailers for the next chapters of a series, which are included at the end of the current chapter or are projected in the form of an advertisement on television or on the Internet. This generates in the audience an urgent need to see what happens in the next episode, thus generating emotion, they ensure that the faithful public will be faithfully sitting before the screen on the indicated day and time. This resource is known in the field of film and television as a cliffhanger.
