Everyone to varying degrees is capable of manipulative behavior but some people are more prone to it and more able to succeed at it than others.
The word “manipulation” (from the Latin manipulare) has long been used in a purely positive sense: “to manage with skill, competently”.
Manipulativity is activity that aims “to achieve a desired goal (perverse or normal, symbolic or real) using deception, coercion and trickery, without regard for the interests or needs of those used in the process”.
This is the hidden control of the addressee on the part of the initiator, in which the latter achieves his goals, damaging the addressee. It was noted that hiding his true emotions is one of the main signs of the manipulator. The manipulator sees his task in producing certain due, beneficial impression for him.
The transition to the metaphor was the use of this term in relation to the demonstration of various tricks and card games where, in addition to dexterity, concealing actions or true intentions, as well as carrying out all kinds of distracting procedures that divert the observers’ attention, is appreciated.
Manipulations can be used circumstantially and unconsciously as well as consciously and targeted. During an unconscious manipulation, a person does not realize that he/she is trying to put pressure on others – this happens automatically.
Manipulative behavior
