Manipulative behavior occurs when a person uses controlling and harmful behaviors to avoid responsibility, conceal their true intentions, or cause doubt and confusion. Manipulation tactics, such as gaslighting, lying, blaming, criticizing, and shaming, can damage a person's psychological well-being.
Manipulators love to control people and situations. They feel compelled to take control. Overtly and covertly, they will do whatever they can to dictate your actions, thoughts and feelings. They gamble with your emotions and try to make you think that you might be the one who is “over-reacting.”
Common examples include passive aggression, silent treatment, guilt-tripping, blame-shifting, gaslighting, denial, and lying. Other tactics include codependency through trauma bonding, playing on people's insecurities, withholding sex, instilling fear, or threatening to harm themselves.
Manipulative movements such as throwing, catching, kicking, trapping, striking, volleying, bouncing, and ball rolling are considered to be fundamental manipulative skills.
People manipulate others to get what they want. This type of behavior may have a number of causes including interpersonal dynamics, personality characteristics, a dysfunctional upbringing, attachment issues, or certain mental health conditions.
Another common trait of narcissism is manipulative or controlling behavior. A narcissist will at first try to please you and impress you, but eventually, their own needs will always come first. When relating to other people, narcissists will try to keep people at a certain distance in order to maintain control.
Causes of Controlling Behavior
The most common are anxiety disorders and personality disorders. People with anxiety disorders feel a need to control everything around them in order to feel at peace. They may not trust anyone else to handle things the way they will.
Manipulative tendencies may derive from cluster B personality disorders such as narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder. Manipulation is also correlated with higher levels of emotional intelligence, and is a chief component of the personality construct dubbed Machiavellianism.
Absolute: Manipulators love to say things like “You always do this” or “You never take my needs into consideration.” Lying: Despite all the facts you might have in front of you, a liar will tell you their perception is correct and you are wrong.
The manipulator may feel stress and anxiety from having to constantly “cover” themselves, for fear of being found out and exposed. The manipulator may experience quiet but persistent moral crises and ethical conflicts, and may have a difficult time living with themselves.
When people pretend to ask a question when they are actually making a statement, it is manipulative. For example, “I'm sure you agree?” This is not a trust-building question. It is a statement disguised as a question. Others who hear you say this will realize you have no interest in what they think.
Be Assertive
Be direct and persistent, and use "I" statements to avoid generalities and accusations. For instance, you could say, "I would feel taken advantage of if I did that" instead of, "You're taking advantage of me!" Manipulators will often change the subject or use other avoidance tactics when you confront them.
In some cases, ignoring a manipulator may cause them to lose interest in their target. Since manipulators typically seek control and validation, a lack of response might make them feel insignificant and prompt them to move on to someone more susceptible to their tactics.
You will be bullied, intimidated and threatened. They won't let up or let you go until they wear you down so you are brainwashed into thinking you can never say "no". Narcissists have no assertive state with which to moderate themselves. Zero sense of self-regulation.
Yes, emotional manipulation can be a form of emotional abuse. Abuse is defined as a pattern of behaviors used to control or maintain power in a relationship. A guilt trip once in a while might not meet abuse criteria, but consistent guilting or guilting paired regularly with other forms of emotional manipulation could.
Movement skills that require an ability to handle an object or piece of equipment with control. They include skills such as kicking, striking, dribbling or catching a ball.
Narcissists are self-absorbed. They often dominate conversations, manipulate their loved ones, and engage in deceptive behaviors for profit. You might try to steer clear of these disingenuous individuals, but you might also fall victim to their manipulation.
In Competition Robotics, one can classify most object manipulators into three basic categories: Plows, Scoops, and Friction Grabbers.