Someone who is easily manipulative is often called a manipulator, schemer, puppetmaster, or described as cunning, devious, crafty, sly, or controlling, though the specific word depends on their tactics, like being a Machiavellian (strategic) or a narcissist (self-centered).
Characterized by obedience, subservience, or readiness to accept instruction or direction. docile. compliant. submissive. tractable.
Deceptive person adept at controlling and fabricating falsehoods. manipulative liar. crafty fabricator. cunning fraudster. deceitful individual.
Manipulative tendencies may derive from cluster B personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Manipulative behavior has also been related with one's level of emotional intelligence.
This means that Feeling types are nearly three times as likely as Thinking types to say they are easily manipulated. This difference can be attributed to the fact that people with the Feeling personality trait tend to prioritize emotions, empathy, and the well-being of others in their decision-making process.
The red flag of emotional manipulation employs a gradual approach to instill doubt and distance you from supportive relationships. They might make both subtle and overt requests for your time, effectively isolating you from other connections.
12 Phrases Skilled Manipulators Use in Everyday Conversation
Cluster B personality disorders involve dramatic and emotional thoughts and behaviors that can keep changing. It includes: Antisocial personality disorder, in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others.
The manipulator may use phrases like "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "I'm sorry if I upset you," which subtly shift the blame onto the recipient of the apology, suggesting that the problem lies with their reaction, not the action itself. Conditional Language: Another common tactic is the use of conditional language.
Manipulative movements such as throwing, catching, kicking, trapping, striking, volleying, bouncing, and ball rolling are considered to be fundamental manipulative skills. These skills are essential to purposeful and controlled interaction with objects in our environment.
They turn the story around to make it seem like you are at fault, deflecting attention and blame away from them to make you feel guilty. This type of emotional manipulation is called gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where a person makes you doubt yourself or question your account of an incident.
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Some want to feel powerful and inflate their own sense of self-worth. These people often have self-esteem issues, and the ability to control others may make them feel better about themselves. Others might engage in the behavior because they are bored. Manipulators often suffer from narcissistic personality disorder.
Control freak is a colloquialism for a person who feels a psychological need to constantly be in charge of things and people around them.
Number one, the toxic apology. This is where they say, well, I'm sorry that I'm such a horrible person or I'm sorry that you're so perfect. It's manipulative. They want you to say, you're not a terrible person. Well, that's how you make me feel.
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A manipulator can skew any situation to make themselves the victim. Or they might remind you of times they've helped you out, making it seem like you owe them. They encourage you to doubt yourself. If you're repeatedly told that you can't do something or don't understand, you may start to believe it.
Symptoms
What are the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder?
As a Harvard-trained psychologist, I've found that there are seven phrases you'll hear from highly narcissistic people:
The phrase "If you loved me, you would do this for me" is a classic example of emotional manipulation that leverages guilt and plays on the recipient's emotions. This statement implies that the recipient's love is conditional upon fulfilling the speaker's request, creating a sense of obligation and pressure to comply.
A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction. You are a manipulator.