manipulation

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The term experienced a steep rise as a technical term in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the article does not give any information about the spiritual currents that led to this ascent. Who coined the term, who made it popular and what is the theoretical basis for the use of the language? Upbringing , too, is targeted influencing and thus corresponds to the definition criteria of manipulation given here, but is not classified as manipulation in pedagogy. What kind of influence and what groups of perpetrators and victims did the inventors of the term primarily have in mind and where can you read about it?
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The term manipulation ( Latin : composition of manus 'hand' and plere ' to fill'; literally 'a handful (to have), to have something in your hand', translated: handle , trick) literally means 'handling' and is used in the Technology also used that way. In addition, manipulation is also a term from psychology , sociology and politics and means the targeted and hidden influence , i.e. all processes that aim to control the experience and behavior of individuals and groups and should remain hidden from them ( camouflage , propaganda ). The process of manipulation and its everyday phenomena must be distinguished from the psychological method of experimental manipulation . In its original meaning “handle”, manipulation in manual medicine stands for a series of techniques carried out by hand that are used to release a blockage .

Concept development

Manipulation of a thing means its handling and, if necessary, processing in a completely neutral way. The Brockhaus of 1809, when it comes to manipulation, only refers to magnetism . About 100 years later, Meyer's Konversationslexikon describes manipulation as an artful use of the hands; then generally as much as business trick . The Krünitz encyclopedia gives the term more space, but is also limited almost exclusively to the practical aspect:

“In particular, manipulation means working, touching and stroking a body with the hand in order to bring about beneficial changes in it. Of the effects of the gentler manipulation, as it was used in the infamous magnetization a few years ago…. The more coarse manipulation, which the Turks in particular use in their baths to strengthen the muscles, is dealt with in ... physical exercises. "

In 1985, Knaur's dictionary states that manipulation is either “cleverly handling a device, etc.” or “directing something or someone in the desired direction; influence; Taxes."

Manipulation of people

Manipulation of people is the influence in which the acceptance of an opinion, product or service by the target person can lead to a disadvantage for them. One speaks of immoral manipulation when the attempt to persuade or convince the person influenced causes economic and / or moral damage.

Anyone who has feelings of inferiority, lack of self-confidence or fear is more easily deceived and easily manipulated. The manipulation of people pursues goals and serves to influence other people with regard to their behavior. In this context, the term manipulation has a negative connotation. If a positive result is aimed for or achieved, it is a question of communication for persuasion or conviction. Manipulated people do not act out of their own insights or convictions, but rather outside determined . The desired control through targeted external influence usually generates negative emotions when recognizing , since the manipulated person is made into a mere puppet of the manipulating person and should only react according to his / her ideas. Language manipulation can also be exercised in communication , for example through the questioning technique .

The organized prevention of people or organizations against manipulation can be described as mind security . Also enlightenment and emancipation are directed against various types of manipulation. If one speaks of a desired change on the part of the target person, it is more likely to speak of learning or development ( education ). In information security , the manipulation of people for the purpose of unauthorized acquisition of information is also discussed under the term social engineering .

Everyday influencing

Sometimes the thesis is put forward (including in neuro-linguistic programming ) that people manipulate one another as soon as they communicate with one another. There are different forms and strengths. The minimal manipulation already consists in getting the other person to listen. This not only applies to targeted communication , but also to simple conversations. Everyone manipulates everyone else at any time with whom he has to do (compare also Walther G. Pinecoke). Even in the simple communication model , the sender has an intention that he wants to achieve or enforce. Even the apparently manipulated person actually only ensures that the manipulator behaves in this way with his posture. In this sense he manipulates the manipulator (submissive / dominant) that is actually (objective / subjective) seen as active. If you allow manipulation, make it different. Manipulation would be an everyday procedure and only represent influencing and should therefore not be assessed negatively. Only the purpose and urgency of the manipulation, for example in the form of a consumer advertising message, could enable a rating. The sociologist Herbert Marcuse was one of the sharpest critics of advertising manipulation, which, in his opinion, conditions people in a completely one-dimensional manner towards consumer behavior .

How difficult it is in everyday life to distinguish between communicative practices to influence conscious decision-making (conviction) and communicative practices to exploit weak will or limited decision-making ability becomes particularly clear in stationary retail . Almost every retail company uses a wealth of psychostrategic and tactical measures that at least arouse interest in the customer, but if possible trigger a purchase decision , regardless of whether they are consciously perceived or have an unconscious effect. They can be directed to all sense organs. The trading psychology sifts and arranges the diversity of possible influences. They range from the assortment, staff behavior and store atmosphere to customer routing, flooring, placement, shelf filling or price optics to background music, scents or tastings. If, for example, sweets and toys are placed in the shelf-bending zone (where children can see and grasp) or in the checkout zone ("whimsy goods"), the accusation of manipulation can easily be raised. The same critics are mostly unaware that ceiling hangers, shelf stoppers, deliberately built-in handle gaps on the shelf and a thousand other measures also want to influence. However, harmful, unfair manipulation can only be spoken of if the will of a customer is switched off in individual cases or if customers are induced to buy who cannot make a free will of their own (children, the mentally handicapped, people with dementia). The responsible customer, who - encouraged by conspicuous placement - spontaneously buys a travel alarm clock, is neither disadvantageous with his spontaneous purchase, nor is his purchase decision irrational.

Proponents of manipulative practices - for example in the areas of sales , advertising and propaganda - consider the allegation of unfairness and the risk of abuse of power to be negligible. It is a prejudice that manipulation has to fight against. Manipulation is a natural human behavior.

Problem

On the other hand, the objection is that the choice of means is important for an evaluation. Manipulation based on deliberate deception is problematic. In a negative sense, manipulation means, for example, reducing the victim's freedom of action or control or, on the part of the perpetrator, choosing unfair, intransparent or deceptive means that make resistance more difficult. Manipulation is often spoken of negatively as soon as someone sees himself as a victim of manipulation.

Enlightenment and immaturity are in contrast to one another in terms of manipulability. The everyday application of manipulation is not very different from forms of professional influencing of people. The latter, however, harbors the risk of abuse of power .

Often times, manipulative behavior is part of personality disorders .

Quotes

"No emotion robs the mind of its possibilities to act and think so completely as fear."

- Edmund Burke

"Language is given to people to hide their thoughts."

- Charles Maurice de Talleyrand : to the Spanish ambassador Izquierdo, 1807

"The absence of visible violence allows manipulation to pass itself off as the freedom it deprives."

- Friedrich Hacker

See also

literature

Web links

Wiktionary: Manipulation  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ manipulation . In: Brockhaus Conversations-Lexikon . tape 3 . In the Art and Industry Comptoir, Amsterdam / Leipzig 1809, p. 53 ( zeno.org ).
  2. ↑ manipulation . In: Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon . tape 13 . Bibliographical Institute, Leipzig / Vienna 1908, p. 227 ( zeno.org ).
  3. ↑ Krünitz: Manipulation , University of Trier
  4. ^ The German dictionary . Knaur, 1985, p. 643 .