Five techniques of domination

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The five techniques of domination (also called main mechanisms of oppression in German ) were presented by the Norwegian social psychologist Berit Ås in 1979 . These are techniques which, according to Ås, are used against women, oppositions and minorities (see also domination ). Mainly this happens in discussions and daily conversation . Ås originally used this concept in situational studies, in which men used these techniques against women. According to another view, these so-called domination techniques are also used in other relationships of interpersonal communication . So men would use them against men, women against women, and women against men.

Berit Ås' definition

Make invisible
Invisibility occurs when groups of people are forgotten, are not noticed, do not have a say and / or their opinions are ignored in the debate.
Make ridiculous
It is ridiculous when the use of certain groups of people is mocked or compared with the behavior of animals.
Withholding information (see also knowledge of domination )
Withholding information is when those who have information, out of self-image or from a self-determined power relationship, only address certain other groups of people and withhold important information from certain groups of people (for example to keep them out of decision-making processes). This can be in the workplace, in social life and / or in political life.
Assume guilt no matter what you do ( double-bind )
This technique is used against those against whom one is prejudiced .
Applying guilt and shame
by ridicule, Peinlich making, exposure (see also embarrassment ), and injury of honor.

Examples

An example of ridicule could be that male victims of domestic violence would be referred to as washcloths when approaching the judicial authorities. As an example of the double bind it could be mentioned that young women are often accused of having dressed challengingly and therefore complicit in their rape . Although women whose clothing is not very “feminine” are rated and classified as unfeminine. An example of "withholding information" is that employees of other organizations (other units in the same company, external company employees, etc.) are specifically withheld information relating to their field of work or instruct their superiors to "keep such information" within a certain period of time.

See also

literature

  • Hege S. Sølberg: Communication . A notebook of the Ungdommens fylkesting in Hedmark, Norway.
  • Berit Ås: De 5 hersketeknikker . In: Årbog for kvinderet , Vol. 4 (1979), pp. 55-88.
  • Haig A. Bosmajian: The Language of Oppression . University Press of America, Lanham 1983, ISBN 0-8191-3186-5 (unaltered reprint of Washington, DC 1974 edition).

Web links