Recently, the problem of manipulating people, imposing other people's opinions and views, turning society into a mindless mass has been increasingly discussed on the Web. We have compiled a shortlist of the most common techniques and rules that help convince, position, inspire and influence people in every possible way, as well as ways to protect yourself from social manipulation.
Social proof, or the principle of social proof
In the Soviet Union, people first stood in line and only then wondered where it was leading. “If all these people are waiting, then the product is good,” everyone thought. The very presence of the queue signaled the value of the proposed product. Thus, the principle of social proof was manifested in Soviet society. Based on the herd instinct, it is to imitate the behavior of the majority and is a protective function of our brain, freeing the latter from the need to process unnecessary information. This is where the nature of the mainstream lies.
The principle of social proof works especially effectively when a person finds himself in a confused or ambiguous situation, and he does not have time to really understand it. “In any incomprehensible situation, do like everyone else” - Social Proof solves all problems at once. When we want to buy a new gadget and are racking our brains over which model to choose, reviews and ratings are often the decisive criterion for us. The principle of social proof is deeply rooted in modern business. You no longer need to prove to a potential client how good the product is, it is enough to note that most people think so.
Today marketers strongly recommend owners of sites and various pages not to advertise counters if the indicators on them are modest. A large number of subscribers is the best sign of quality and a reason to subscribe too. This also applies to website traffic.
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Another painful example of the use of the principle of social proof is sketches and humorous serials. Viewers often complain that they are annoyed by the background laughter after every joke. However, this does not affect the effectiveness of the method. People are used to focusing on the reaction of others when determining what is funny, and often react not to a joke, but to the accompanying laughing offscreen.
By the way, Social proof served as the basis for the emergence of some professions. For example, a claque is a person who, for a fee, comes to a performance, applauds loudest and shouts “Bravo!”, Or a classic example is mourners who “set the mood” at funerals in Brazil or the Philippines.
Group reinforcement method
This technique in places overlaps with the previous one, but, unlike it, is focused on changing human beliefs rather than behavior. According to this principle, with repeated repetition of the same thesis (idea, concept) within a group, its members will eventually accept this statement as true. American academician and writer Robert Carroll emphasizes that a repeated judgment does not have to be true. They will believe in it, no matter how theoretically or practically proven. Moreover, it is believed that people take for granted, without critical assessment, any group values, ideas, doctrines, if they identify themselves with this group and do not want to be branded as outcasts. This mental phenomenon and manifestation of conformism is called indoctrination. Phenomena opposite to indoctrination: "social autonomy","Criticality", "non-conformism".
A colorful example of the work of the group reinforcement method is stereotypes, myths and legends that wander from generation to generation. In addition, the technique is actively used by the media and is an effective tool in information wars. Through clever manipulation of facts and various speech tricks, the media impose certain beliefs on us through the systematic repetition of the same thoughts. To combat these trends, a media education course is being introduced into curricula in some countries to develop critical thinking in people of all ages.
Reciprocal exchange rule
The rule of mutual exchange says: a person is obliged to repay for what another person has provided to him. In simple words - to answer good for good. And since any obligations are depressing, you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
Therefore, the rule works and is actively used by some "initiates". Such people may deliberately provide a small favor with the expectation of making a larger request in the future.
Fragment from the TV series "Force Majeure" (Suits):
The people say: "they use someone's kindness." It is noteworthy that knowledge of the rule of mutual exchange does not relieve a person from the desire to repay their "debts".
An excerpt from the TV series "The Mentalist":
Why do supermarkets give food for free to sample? Why do various companies give out pens, notepads and other souvenirs to their guests? How to explain free promotions in bars and gum after dinner in restaurants? Do employees want to make customers happy? No matter how it is.
Asking for help, or the Benjamin Franklin method
Benjamin Franklin once needed to make contact with a man who openly disliked him. Then Benjamin turned to this man with a request to lend him a rare book. Franklin was as polite as possible in his request and thanked the person even more politely when he agreed.
After this incident, they became good friends.
The essence of the method of the same name is that people love when they are asked for help. First, starting from the rule of mutual exchange, a person thinks that, if necessary, he can count on a reciprocal service. Secondly, by helping, he feels needed and useful. And this, as they say, is priceless.
By the way, it is believed that in the beginning it is better to ask for more than you want to receive. If you are suddenly refused, the next time you try, you can voice a real request, and this time it will be inconvenient to refuse.
Logic rung rule
Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the desire to be or seem consistent in their actions is an innate feature of a person, which often forces him to go against his own interests.
The fact is that in modern society, consistency is considered a virtue. She is associated with honesty, intelligence, strength and stability. The English physicist Michael Faraday said that consistency is valued more than rightness. Inconsistent behavior is usually considered a negative quality and is mistaken for duplicity.
In order to force a person to act in a certain way, it is necessary to launch a sequence mechanism in his thinking. Social psychologists refer to commitment as the starting point in this mechanism. A person who has made a commitment (even if unconsciously) will do everything to fulfill it.
For example, if a person is recognized as the best chess player in the city, after this incident he will train three times more, just to justify the obligation and status assigned to him. The sequence mechanism is launched: "If I am like this, then I must this, this and that …".
Positive reinforcement
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IS A PLEASANT CONSEQUENCE OF A PERSON'S ACTION: praise, reward, or reward that motivates the person to perform these actions in the future.
A group of Harvard students once conducted an interesting experiment. At one of the lectures, the guys agreed that when the teacher moves to one side of the hall, everyone will smile, and when in the opposite direction, they will frown. It is not necessary to have seven spans in the forehead to guess in which part of the audience the lecturer spent most of the lesson. This experiment was entrenched in history as the "Verplanck experiment" and became a confirmation that positive feedback has an educational effect on a person.
According to the American psychologist Skinner, praise educates a person more effectively than punishment, which is more likely to harm the person. Freud confirms his colleague's theory and, in describing the pleasure principle, emphasizes that a person's desire to receive positive emotions pushes him to perform actions that reinforce them and thus are associated with pleasure. Consequently, the absence of the chain "action - pleasure" deprives a person of motivation and desire to do something.
Fear motivation
THE MOST POWERFUL HUMAN EMOTION IS FEAR. Therefore, to force a person to do something, you need to scare him. The advertising business is built on this principle. I wonder how many tons of descaling solution was sold after contemplating the cemetery of washing machines in the infamous advertisement? Insurance companies use the same methods. Until the client is scared, he will not be insured. And the easiest way to do this is if you show him statistics, how many apartments were robbed, how many were burned, how many cars were stolen. After all, if there is an opportunity to protect yourself from loss, plus get rid of unnecessary stress, why refuse help?
On the other hand, you can scare, for example, your employee so that it will bring him to dismissal. Therefore, wise leaders use the power of fear wisely. As a rule, they put pressure on the fear of loss: "We are considering your candidacy for a promotion, but so far, unfortunately, you are not fulfilling the plan …". If you outline the possible losses to a person, he will accept the directives proposed to him. According to one study, people are twice as likely to agree with something precisely when they face loss.
Aikido method
The peculiarity of the martial art of aikido is to use the strength of the enemy against himself. Adapted to the communication environment, this method is used in tense negotiations or conflict situations and involves returning the opponent to his own aggression in order to get what he wants from the interlocutor.
Newton's law says: the force of action is equal to the force of reaction. Consequently, the more rudely a person responds to an opponent, the more fiercely he defends his position, the more aggression he receives in response. The main principle of aikido is to win by giving way. To persuade a person to his point of view, first of all, you need to agree with him, moreover, “mirroring” his manner of speaking and behaving. And then in a calm tone, propose your own scenario. Thus, the person retains his strength, does not irritate the opponent and ultimately wins.
A slightly exaggerated example might look like this: “You are a fool. You're doing everything wrong. - Yes, I'm doing everything wrong, because I'm a fool. Let's try to find a way out of this situation together…”.
Vertical principle
All the famous world dictators convinced their opponents even before they started talking. They knew how to position their bodies in space in such a way that in the eyes of the interlocutor they look like a "living argument."
First, they were always vertically on a level above those with whom they spoke. There is a psychological explanation for this. The fact is that the subconscious mind initially perceives those who are higher as authorities. Our parents have always been above us. But they were our authorities for many years. This explains why many executives arrange chairs and tables in their offices to look down at their subordinates.
Also, for our subconsciousness, a person who takes up a lot of space seems more convincing and right. Sweeping gestures, outstretched "T-shaped" arms on the back of a chair or active movement around the room during a presentation - all this helps to embrace the maximum amount of space and grow in the eyes of the beholder.
Built-in speech commands
Built-in speech commands help the initiator of communication create a certain mood in the addressee, evoke the desired emotion and, accordingly, direct his thoughts in a given direction. An embedded message is a fragment of a phrase that is highlighted with gestures or intonation. In this case, the impact occurs on the subconscious of a person who may not pay attention to the phrase itself.
By introducing positively colored vocabulary into our speech (words like "nice", "good", "happiness", "success", "trust", etc.), we make the interlocutor feel happier and more successful. At the same time, it doesn't matter what the speech is about and in what context these words are used, the main thing is to highlight them with intonation or gesture.
Spiral of silence
In the theory of mass communication, there is such a thing as a spiral of silence. Proposed by the German political scientist Elisabeth Noel-Neumann, this concept boils down to the fact that people can share a certain point of view, but are afraid to admit it, because they think they are in the minority. The spiral of silence is based on the fear of social isolation and begins to work the moment someone confidently expresses their point of view on a socially significant topic. Those who disagree with what they heard prefer to remain silent and not speak out, because they are convinced that they are in the minority and are afraid of isolation.
There is a pattern that matured individuals do not succumb to the fear of social isolation and are able to express their opinions without regard to the public. It is these people who drive progress and stimulate global change. The second half of humanity is the guarantor of strength and stability in society.
Author: Alexandra Kosenko
How to protect yourself from social manipulation?
INFLUENCE ON THE SUBCONSCIOUSNESS IS NOT THIS SIMPLE THING. You should not take it as an uncritical "trash can": what "threw", then "fell". The subconscious is always on our side first of all and seeks to reject information that is hostile to us or does not correspond to our goals. Therefore, suggestions “disadvantageous” for the “owner” are rejected very quickly. To bypass this protective mechanism, manipulators almost always use the method of pressure “on speed” - you need to make a decision right now, there is no time to think! If you are faced with this, in any case do not make any decisions, take a time out.
Another popular manipulation method is the “false alternative”. You are prompted to quickly choose one of the options, and none of them is in your interests. For example: "How is it more convenient for you to pay for our wonderful product - at once the full amount or in installments?" The option "No way at all, I don't want to buy your product" is not considered. Therefore, I advise you to turn on the "alarm" every time you hear a similar "either-or".
It is important to understand that the barrier of criticality and self-defense can be reduced in the following situations:
- PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT: overwork, hunger, thirst, stuffiness, heat / cold, etc.;
- A STATE OF ANXIETY: justified or artificially injected ("We run faster, otherwise they will eat everything tasty, and we will not be left!");
- OVERLOADING OF THE PERCEPTIONS (e.g. loud music, strong odor, tightness, etc.)
The most striking example for all situations at once is a sale in a large store. The stuffiness, the crowd, the rush, combined with loud music and the noise of the crowd are ideal conditions for rash spending.
Accordingly, the conclusions suggest themselves: the healthier and more balanced our lifestyle, the more difficult it is to use us for bad purposes.
The best way to protect yourself from manipulation is to be mindful of yourself and in communication with others. It can be developed by periodically asking yourself questions:
- WHAT DO I FEEL RIGHT NOW? What are my physical sensations, emotions, desires?
- WHY DO I MAKE THIS OR ANOTHER DECISION (go, buy, help)? What do I want to get as a result and what do I expect, are these expectations real? What drives me now?
- WHAT DO I ALL WANT FROM LIFE? What is important to me? Are the decisions that I make - leading me to goals or away from them? And by the way, are these exactly my goals or are they also imposed by someone?
The habit of asking yourself such questions, on your own or in the company of a psychologist or coach, is a kind of "technical inspection" for the psyche and a good guarantee that you will not become a victim of manipulation.
Author: Anna Rymarenko
