Surely you have had stories when you did not do what you originally intended. For example, they left the store with an unnecessary purchase. They decisively began a conversation about parting and ended it with a kiss of truce. They came to the planning meeting with their own opinion, and left with someone else’s. If so, then you are familiar with psychological pressure firsthand. Today we will talk about what it is, which of us is prone to being manipulated, and what methods of psychological pressure exist on a person.
Exerting psychological pressure is influencing certain points of human character, manipulating another person in order to control someone else’s behavior. The best targets for such manipulators are people who are suspicious, prone to self-flagellation and/or self-sacrifice, and unsure of their abilities.
Methods and techniques of psychological pressure on a person
It should be noted that exerting psychological pressure is not always intentional. Only a few think through behavioral tactics; as a rule, manipulation occurs on an intuitive level.
Psychological pressure— everyone has encountered this. As soon as you give up a little slack, those who have even the most insignificant powers begin to abuse them with all their might. We almost always act as if on autopilot, over and over again playing out ineffective scenarios - flight or manifestation of aggression.
William Shakespeare wrote: “You may upset me, but you cannot play on me.” Apparently, the master of English poetry and drama had reason to say so. If even the greatest geniuses encounter attempts to manipulate them, this cannot be avoided by us mere mortals.
Manipulation is a hidden influence on another person, with the help of which a change in his initial attitudes, behavior, and perception occurs. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the main goal of psychological influence is the benefits needed by the aggressor. Since with the help of this influence the manipulator satisfies his interests, this type of behavior is considered unethical. Manipulations that are aimed at satisfying the interests of the victim are extremely rare.
Psychological pressure is a common problem, especially in the post-Soviet space. Many people do not disdain them - from boorish saleswomen in the store to traffic police inspectors. The first thing you need to do if you find yourself in such a situation is to track your emotional reaction and try to stop it (no matter how difficult it may be).
You can often hear recommendations from psychologists to count to ten, try to regulate your breathing, and relax your muscles. However, this does not always help, as does other similar advice. Another, more effective way is to switch consciousness to other objects - for example, looking at the appearance of your opponent. Analyzing the behavior of the aggressor or the work environment, examining the details of clothing, calculating logarithms in your head (if you are a mathematical genius), translating the label of a stapler from English into Russian - all this helps to distract yourself and stop the storm of emotions.
Why is it so difficult to stop conflict situation, go beyond the usual behavioral pattern? The reason lies in our physiology, and is explained by the theory of the conditional division of the brain into three main sections:
- The “reptile brain” is the most ancient part, activated when a threat to life arises.
- The “mammal brain,” which is responsible for experiencing pleasure.
- And also the “human brain” - a department that regulates the processes of thinking, rational analysis, and reasoning.
Usually these departments work in peace and harmony. But when a person is “upset,” experiencing anger or fear, arousal predominates in the “reptile brain.” It is this department that dictates the reactions of flight, expression of aggression, and freezing. But in all these cases, a person cannot evaluate his actions from a logical position or understand the opponent’s motivation. This scheme was life-saving for ancient man. Now it causes a lot of inconvenience, although it continues to function in the same mode as millions of years ago.
You can turn off the “reptile brain” only with the help of logical analysis, awareness of the current situation - that is, connecting the frontal lobes. The situation looks much simpler when we have come out of the conflict, cooled down, and are distracted. Physiologically, in the process of analyzing the situation, the following happens - the focus of nervous excitation in the brain moves from more ancient layers to the cortical structures.
Exist Various types psychological pressure:
Resisting manipulation is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
How can you neutralize psychological pressure?
Sources:
Psychological pressure
Surely you have had stories when you did not do what you originally intended. For example, they left the store with an unnecessary purchase. We decidedly started talking about separation and
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Psychological pressure on a person
Psychological pressure and manipulation - everyone has encountered this. But not everyone knows what the reasons for this are and how to resist. Let's try to figure it out.
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Psychological pressure is the influence exerted by one person on other people in order to change their opinions, decisions, judgments, or personal attitudes. It is carried out in ways that are far from being the most honest and correct, from the point of view of humanity. But, unfortunately, anyone can encounter it.
Compulsion
Psychological pressure can manifest itself in various forms. Coercion is one of them. This is the most blatant and unprecedented attempt to influence another person. This method is inherently an unlawful use of mental violence.
From the outside, its use looks like an informational impact on human consciousness. Which may be accompanied by threats of physical violence. But these are extreme cases.
Most often, a moral abuser uses other “trump cards.” This could be his power, money, influential status, compromising data. Some try to destroy their prey. They say words that grind a person’s dignity into powder and trample his self-confidence into the dirt. Actions can also be of a similar nature.
Others follow the tactic of intrusiveness. It consists of deliberate moral torment of a person using various methods.
How to react?
This type of pressure is very difficult to resist. But it is possible (with the proper desire). The most important thing is to clearly define for yourself the goals that the slave is trying to pursue. We need to understand what he wants. And after that do exactly the opposite. Just without letting him know that the confrontation is intentional. He must perceive the confidence of the one he is trying to make a “victim” as a character trait. In the end, the failed moral abuser will leave the person alone. Because he will understand that he will not achieve his intended goal.
But if he is obsessed with her, then he will have to have patience and fortitude. Because the forced person will not just leave behind. Before that, he will try all sorts of methods. If a situation causes too much discomfort, it is better to leave it. In the literal sense of the word - break all contacts. But because of persecution, which may well begin if the captive is fanatical, you can contact the police.
Humiliation
It is also often used to apply pressure. Psychological humiliation is aimed at morally “crushing” a person. Every word that can indicate his inferiority, inferiority and insignificance is used. But how is it possible to influence a person in this way? After all, he, on the contrary, must take any request or order with hostility, becoming angry at what he hears! Yes, that's logical. But in reality it happens differently.
Insults put a person into a state of certain prostration. You can even feel it physically - your temples begin to pound, your breathing quickens, and your heartbeat starts somewhere in the throat. A person is consumed by resentment, mixed with bewilderment, anger, and other adrenaline-inducing feelings.
This is understandable. After all, humiliation seriously affects a person’s well-being. Because self-esteem is the highest moral value. Even in Maslow’s pyramid it is at level four.
So, at the moment when a person finds himself shrouded in a state of resentment, the same aggressor who provoked the incident takes advantage of the opportunity to put pressure on him: “Are you at least able to do this?”
This phrase literally takes you out of your trance. Of course, being in a normal state, a person would instantly dismiss it. It’s only in such a situation that the psychological defense mechanism is activated. At a subconscious level, a person awakens a desire to prove his worth and convince the offender that he was mistaken about him. And he grabs the assignment. But this is what the offender needed.
Confrontation
Since psychological pressure is quite successfully carried out through humiliation, it is necessary to talk about effective way combat this impact.
So, you need to remember that this method only works with those people who are not confident in themselves. A self-sufficient person will only laugh at the attempts of some loser aggressor to influence with groundless insults. They just won't touch him.
Therefore, you need to become such a self-sufficient person. Any rude word should turn into a kind of signal, reminding a person that it is time to activate protection and not succumb to provocations.
Of course, a storm can rage in your soul. But appearance should disarm the aggressor as much as possible. A relaxed, disinterested look, an occasional yawn, a loose pose, a slight grin - this look will hint to him of his unsuccessful attempts to force a person to do something using such a vile method. And when he finishes rambling, you can drop a simple, indifferent phrase that will confuse him: “Have you said everything?” Or the alternative: “I heard you.” Or you can limit yourself to just one word: “Good.” There is no need to completely ignore the offender. After all, he knows that the person is not deaf, which means he hears him. And if he is silent, then, most likely, he simply does not know what to answer. So there must be at least one reaction.
Suggestion and persuasion
This is a more delicate method that uses psychological pressure. Not everyone owns it. After all, you need to be able to influence someone else’s consciousness, provoking an uncritical perception of their attitudes and beliefs.
In addition, such manipulators are masters of words. They are empathetic, observant, and know exactly what needs to be said to this or that person so that he himself, under its influence, will reconstruct his attitudes. Such people skillfully play with the subconscious of the “victim”. They use intonation, apparent friendliness and frankness, empathy and many other semi-conscious ways.
A striking example can be considered the well-known fraudulent online schemes - one-page sites on which some “innovative” method of earning money is colorfully described, which becomes available to the user after he replenishes his own account (later allegedly needed by him) with a certain, “purely symbolic” amount. amount. Such resources are headed by videos, built on the same principle. A certain person first sincerely tells his story about how he came from rags to riches, and then switches to the user - he begins to say that he deserves a better life, and he should think about himself, his family, his children, his parents. He doesn’t lose anything - some five thousand will pay off almost in the first 10 minutes of system activation.
Surprisingly, such psychological pressure works. The words of the “speaker” touch the quick, penetrate the soul, make you believe, motivate. But, naturally, only he benefits from this.
And this is just one example. This also happens very often in life. And if on the Internet you can simply force yourself to close a page, then in reality you have to resist.
Manipulation
Often psychological pressure is exerted on a person through this particular method. Manipulation involves the use of coercive, deceptive, or covert tactics. And if in the case of humiliation or coercion a person understands that he is being attacked, then in this situation he does not.
A manipulator who promotes his interests at the expense of other people knows how to hide his true face, aggressive behavior and bad intentions. He is well aware of the psychologically vulnerable places of the “victim”. He is also cruel and indifferent. The manipulator does not worry that his actions may harm someone he perceives as his “pawn.”
Psychological pressure is exerted on a person by manipulation different ways. Psychologist Harriet Breaker, for example, noted five main ones:
- Positive reinforcement is false sympathy, charm, praise, apology, approval, attention, flattery and fawning.
- Negative - promises of getting rid of an unpleasant, difficult and problematic situation.
- Partial reinforcement is encouraging a person to persevere, ultimately leading him to failure. A striking example is the casino. The player may be allowed to win several times, but in the end he will lose every penny, getting bogged down in the excitement.
- Punishment - intimidation, scolding, an attempt to impose a feeling of guilt.
- Traumas are one-time outbursts of anger, hysteria, insults, as well as other examples of frightening behavior aimed at frightening the victim and convincing her of the seriousness of the manipulator’s intentions.
There are also a lot of other ways. But, however, no matter what they are, the manipulator’s goal is always the same - to gain personal gain and achieve his goal.
How to avoid manipulation?
This question also deserves a brief answer. There are a lot of recommendations and advice on how to resist psychological pressure carried out through manipulation. And no matter which of them a person listens to, he will always have to do the same thing - keep the situation under control.
He needs self-confidence, self-control, healthy distrust and attentiveness. It is very important to notice the beginning of manipulation in time. This is easy - a person will feel pressure being applied to his weak points.
The habit of analyzing what is happening will not hurt. And we’re not just talking about studying the behavior of potential manipulators. A person, in addition, needs to take a closer look at his goals, dreams and plans. Do they really belong to him? Or were these guidelines once imposed on him, and is he now following them? You need to think carefully about all this.
How to resist psychological pressure? You need to become critical. And visually unapproachable. Manipulators always count on quick results. You can't give it to them. To every suggestion or request you need to answer: “I’ll think about it.” And it really doesn't hurt to think about it. In a calm atmosphere, without any pressure, you will be able to “feel” the request from the inside and understand whether the person really needs help, or whether he is just trying to benefit for himself.
And if a decision is made to refuse, you must express it in a firm form, showing character. Hearing an uncertain “No, probably...”, the manipulator will begin to “break” the person. This cannot be allowed.
By the way, you don’t need to be shy about showing your emotions to the “puppeteer”. This will expose him, and he will leave behind. You can get by with a simple phrase like: “I don’t owe you anything, and your persistence makes me feel ungrateful!”
Turning to the law
It is important to note that even the criminal code contains information about psychological pressure on a person. It would not be superfluous to open the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and scroll to Article No. 40. It is called “Physical or mental coercion.” And this is a direct reference to what was said at the very beginning. Only here everything is more serious.
We are talking about crimes committed by people under pressure from an aggressor. The first paragraph of the article states that harm caused to interests protected by law is not considered an offense. But only if the person could not control his actions at that moment. Let's say he was forced at gunpoint, or holding one of his relatives at gunpoint.
But what if it was psychological pressure on a person? Article No. 40 in this case is referred to the previous one, number 39. The issue regarding criminal liability for committing a crime under mental influence is resolved taking into account its provisions.
Article No. 39 is called “Urgent Necessity.” It says that a crime is not such if it was committed to eliminate a danger that directly threatens a person or other people.
However, this is not all that is said in the Criminal Code. Psychological pressure is also mentioned in Article 130. It is noted there that humiliation of the dignity and honor of another person, expressed in extreme form, is punishable by a fine of up to 40,000 rubles, or three months’ salary. In especially severe cases, 120 hours of community service or 6 months of correctional labor are prescribed. The maximum penalty is restriction of freedom for up to 1 year. Very serious consequences of psychological pressure.
An article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation also states that insult expressed publicly (through the media, in a speech, in a video message, etc.) is punishable by a double fine. The maximum penalty is 2 years of restriction of freedom.
In the case of children
Psychological pressure on a child is an even more serious topic. Everyone knows how weak and fragile the consciousness of children (most of them, anyway) is. They are extremely easy to influence. And we are not talking about healthy pressure, which cannot even be called such (“If you don’t put away the toys, I won’t talk to you” - influence through guilt). This refers to real coercion to do something, an attack on a child (psychological).
The pressure of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in this case is defined as “Failure to fulfill educational obligations.” This is article number 156. Moreover, the provisions apply not only to parents, but also to employees of educational, social, educational and medical organizations. Cruel treatment is what psychological pressure is equated to. The article also prescribes punishments. This could be a fine of 100,000 rubles, compulsory work(440 hours), liquidation of the right to hold a certain position, or imprisonment for three years.
But, of course, cases rarely come to trial. The article of the Criminal Code characterizes psychological pressure in a specific way, but in life it occurs in a different manifestation.
Many parents simply unceremoniously interfere in the child’s space, cruelly control his every step, and force him to do something he doesn’t like (going to a boxing class when the child wants to dance, for example). Some are sure that if you point out his shortcomings, he will correct them. But that's not true. This does not work with all adults who have a stronger psyche and intelligence. And the child will completely withdraw into himself, starting to doubt own strength and abilities, and constantly feeling guilty for no reason. Parents, exerting pressure, thus reflect their own experiences and fears. But in the end they become enemies of their child, not allies. Therefore, issues of education must be approached very responsibly. The birth and personal development of a new member of society is a huge responsibility and serious work.
Labor sphere
Finally, I would like to talk a little about psychological pressure at work. After all, most often it is in the labor sphere that a person encounters this phenomenon.
You need to understand first of all that the organization in which a person works is just a structure. In which everyone takes his place and performs certain tasks. And the relationship between colleagues should be appropriate, businesslike. If someone suddenly tries to put pressure on a person to serve (substitute, do dirty work, go on a day off), you need to refuse with dignity - somewhat coldly, but as politely as possible. You cannot put the interests of other people above your own. Especially if they are brave enough to make such demands.
The only exceptions are those cases when a colleague really needs help. By the way, there is no need to be afraid of gossip, rumours, gossip or attempts to “sit on”. A person must remember that he is a professional first and foremost. His skills and productivity will not become worse from evil tongues. And if he is interested in the topic, you can always explain it to your boss.
It is much worse if the “pressures” come directly from the boss. And there are some leaders who are only happy to put psychological pressure on a person. The article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation here, of course, will not serve as informational support, but the provisions Labor Code- quite.
Most often, ordinary workers are faced with persistent “requests” from their boss to submit an application for resignation of their own free will. This contradicts Article 77 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, since such actions exclude the employee’s freedom of expression. And a person has every right to contact the prosecutor’s office to open a labor dispute, or directly to court. But evidence obtained without breaking the law will be required. By the way, they are needed in any case, no matter what the complaint is.
To summarize, I would like to say that the topic of psychological pressure is indeed very detailed and interesting. It contains many more nuances and important points. But, if desired, you can familiarize yourself with them individually. Knowledge of this nature is never superfluous.
Pressure from a psychological point of view represents the influence of one person on another to change her opinion, worldview, and personal attitudes. The influence is exerted by ill-wishers who use any means to achieve their goal. How to behave when you become a victim of pressure, what tactics to choose?
How to protect yourself from psychological pressure
Every person has encountered a situation where a feeling of psychological pressure arises. Psychological pressure is exerted on a person through the use of rumors, hints, minor nagging, veiled threats, etc. What actions to take - the recommended algorithm is given below.
Ask questions to buy time
Taking the examples given as a basis, in the first situation it is advisable to ask about the possibility of refusal. If the interlocutor answered positively, then you can refuse. When your partner has indirectly hinted at interdependence, try to clarify what the consequences of refusal will be.
The main thing is that the connection between supply and dependence is clearly traced. Usually the aggressor tries not to resort to such measures so as not to look like a manipulator (especially if strangers are nearby). Perhaps he will refuse subsequent pressure.
If from the beginning of the conversation it is clear that there is a relationship, questions should be asked in order to delay time for the development of subsequent tactics. The point should be to find out the reasons behind which the partner puts pressure.
Find out the type of force exerted by your partner
An important step in the conversation process is to identify the source of force on the victim. Then the response can be built more accurately.
Perhaps the aggressor will simply scream. It’s better to just wait until he calms down and starts using the same methods of influence again. Often pressure can be exerted through third parties who happen to be nearby.
Do not react to provocations; it is better to carefully look at those around you and their reaction to the words of the aggressor. At least one of them can come to your defense. If everyone is silent, this can also be regarded as a supporting factor that can be turned to your advantage.
The main thing is not to give in, to answer calmly and measuredly. Try to question the type of force being applied or reduce it using other techniques.
Do not reduce the strength of the interlocutor’s argumentation; introduce restrictions on its application in the context of the situation. For example, the aggressor wants to cooperate in the future, refers to the services performed. Do not underestimate the meaning of these words, prove that now it is difficult for you to fulfill the request.
If your partner communicates very quickly, as if jumping in, you should interrupt the flow of his words. You can be distracted (call, go out for a few minutes, etc.). Next, try to clarify the details of his request and arguments.
Then you can move on to the next step.
Search for a new type of force on the aggressor
These methods include: support from third parties, relationships before a dispute, your importance in making money for the company or in organizing profitable orders, etc.
To maintain the prospect of further interaction, you should not obviously use retaliatory pressure techniques. The best option is a reference to previous agreements. If you can structure your questions in such a way as to lead the conversation to a different solution, this will be ideal for both parties (you need to quickly analyze the problem and try to reduce the circumstances in your favor).
Don’t get too carried away with your advantage; don’t try to out-argue your interlocutor. It is important to equalize forces and come to a compromise.
Cooperation proposal
The last step in resolving a dispute is to invite the other party to cooperate. Previous actions should lead to the fact that the pressure from the aggressor will be weakened, and important arguments will be presented in opposition to it. The important thing is that the partner will understand the futility of his attempts. In the future, he will not resort to such methods of influencing you.
During the conversation, you should emphasize that it is very important for you to continue cooperation with your interlocutor. Therefore, even after losing the current dispute, it is necessary to indicate the prospects for future interaction.
You should not bring charges or try to infringe on the offender; you can leave some facts unclear in order to later return to an unresolved situation. Submission does not mean agreement with the outcome of the conversation. This means that you can try to change it.
It is important not to resort to threats. Go back and analyze the problem. As a rule, after victory, the aggressor easily agrees that his behavior was incorrect. Try to achieve this recognition. Subsequently, if the situation repeats, focus on this conversation to confuse the interlocutor.
Types and distinctive features of psychological pressure
Let us dwell in more detail on the types of psychological pressure. Below is a detailed description of each of them.
Compulsion
Coercion is one of the most obvious and brazen attempts to influence other people. This method is comparable to psychological violence. Thus, the aggressor tries to influence consciousness, and threats of physical violence can be used - this is the most extreme measure. But, as a rule, the interlocutor uses other options of influence. For example, power, money, authority, the presence of compromising evidence. Sometimes the partner strives for the moral destruction of the victim. He may use phrases that suppress a person's dignity and self-confidence. Certain actions have the same impact.
An obsessive attitude is a type of coercion, which consists of the desire to mentally exhaust the victim by constantly imposing himself.
Humiliation
Humiliation from a psychological point of view is aimed at the moral suppression of a partner. Words are used that indicate his insignificance and inferiority. This raises the question of why the victim does not react with anger and irritation - this is a logical reaction. As a rule, in response to insults a person falls into prostration. At the physical level, somatic phenomena begin - pounding in the temples, increased breathing, rapid heartbeat. The person is offended, perplexed and angry at the same time. Self-esteem has the highest moral significance.
After the person is put into an offended state, the provocateur tries even more to put pressure: “Are you able to do at least this?” If the person was in a normal state, he would have shrugged it off or fought back. But in this case, another defensive reaction is activated. At the subconscious level, a person tries to prove the opposite - to convince the aggressor that he is wrong. Therefore he agrees to the request.
Confrontation
You can only put psychological pressure on a person who is not completely confident in his own abilities. A person who is completely self-sufficient will brush aside the interlocutor’s attempts to influence his sense of self-worth. Every offensive word should cause a reaction to activate the defense and try not to react to provocative phrases. External calm usually disarms the provocateur. After unanswered attempts, you can say the following words: “Did you say everything?” or “I heard you.” Or simply use the word “Okay.” In any case, you need to react; it is undesirable to ignore insults. The offender may view this as submission.
Suggestion and persuasion
This method is more loyal and cunning. Not all people can use it. It consists of influencing the consciousness of another person by provoking him to perceive his beliefs less critically. Such aggressors know how to choose their words perfectly. They are very observant and always know what needs to be noted or what to point out to a person so that, under the influence of these words, he changes his mind. Intonation, false friendliness and frankness, shared experience, etc. can come into play.
A good example is the schemes of scammers on the Internet - web pages that describe in detail new way earn by transferring relatively small amount funds to the user's account. First, the story of a person who became rich using this method is told, then the essence comes down to the fact that the user deserves a better life. This can be achieved by sending several thousand rubles to an account opened in the system, which will be returned in the shortest possible time. Sometimes it works. Such a story encourages a person to take action.
Manipulation
Often, abusers use this method for psychological pressure. Manipulation refers to the use of tactics of violence, deception, or hidden attitudes. When a person is humiliated or coerced, he can immediately understand it. But in the case of manipulation, it is difficult to recognize the motives. The manipulator hides his interests, aggressiveness, and bad intentions. He knows exactly where to put pressure on the victim to get his way. Such people do not show concern that they may infringe on the interests of another person.
Manipulation can be provided in five ways:
- Positive reinforcement. The offender tries to sympathize, charm, praise, apologize, and pay attention.
- Negative reinforcement. The aggressor may promise to get rid of troubles and problems.
- Partial reinforcement. This situation encourages a person to persistently perform specified actions, which subsequently lead to failure. For example, a casino. The player is allowed to win, after which he can lose all his money in excitement.
- Punishment. They can try to intimidate, blackmail, scold, or impose a feeling of guilt on a person.
- Injuries. These are words that can intimidate the victim: outbursts of anger, hysterics, insults.
Methods of psychological influence
Methods of psychological pressure are varied. Provocateurs use various techniques depending on the situation and the skills of the aggressor. The main methods are listed below:
- Trance. Consciousness plunges into a state of prostration, when a person cannot adequately perceive the situation and accept right decisions. Monotony of speech, swinging of the pendulum, etc. induce trance.
- Trigger words that give speech emotion and greater meaning. They contain an assessment or qualities that the victim would like to have.
- Adjustment. The aggressor tries to copy the victim’s behavior and reactions. He's trying to be on the same page. After this comes the psychological impact.
- Authority is the use of references to expert opinion in a conversation.
- Other people's games. For example, the boss asks you to do a large amount of work in a short time. The subordinate tries to explain that this is impossible. Then the manager allows only part of the volume to be completed, and the employee happily takes on it, although at first he would not have agreed.
- Gratitude. The person fulfills a small request from the victim, and then asks for a favor in return.
- On "weak".
- Description of good prospects. The provocateur tries to explain what benefits the interlocutor will receive from the service provided.
- Intimidation. The situation is the opposite of the previous one. The aggressor describes how bad the person will be if he does not fulfill the request.
If someone tries to influence you psychological impact, try not to panic. Listen to all your opponent’s arguments and, having thought through the tactics of conducting the conversation, fight back. For more information about psychological pressure, methods for recognizing it, and choosing a strategy for confrontation, watch the video.
Among the many various options negotiation scenario, a variant of psychological suppression of the interlocutor, one of the most common. It is used especially often when the position of one side is obviously superior to the other, or as a continuation of insistence on one’s own, after a soft position of communication. In the first case, this is usually active pressure from the very beginning of the dialogue between people, excessive self-confidence, pre-prepared arguments in one’s favor, the use of the third voice mode - loud, clear, expressive speech, with an emphasis on the main points, with frequent interruption of the interlocutor, a smirk or even laughter over his words. All this suppresses the interlocutor, makes him worry and nervous, doubt himself, feel discomfort and aggression on your part.
Very often, this type of negotiation gives a positive result, but not in the case when your interlocutor behaves similarly, and therefore it is fundamental for him not to give in to you, even to the detriment of his own interests. And also if your dialogue does not solve the problem immediately, then the person may change his mind and most likely will do just that, despite the initial concession. This can also be called the Chinese “yes”, which later turns out to be the word “no”. If we consider the second option for using this method of putting pressure on the interlocutor, then it is also very often used, especially in law enforcement agencies. You've probably watched films where the concept of an evil and a good policeman was often used. Two people play opposing roles, thereby forcing the person to agree to more lenient conditions. This really has a wonderful effect on the human psyche, and this technique can be used independently.
You can start with a soft position, and if they do not yield to you, switch to a hard one, with psychological suppression of the interlocutor, using the methods that I described above. Or, on the contrary, you can start with a hard position, suppress your interlocutor until a certain point, and then take a soft position, all with the same conditions beneficial to you. For your interlocutor, this will be an excellent alternative to resolve a tense situation, to remove the burden that you have placed on him. All these methods give positive results, especially with insecure people who are not used to losing. The effectiveness of psychological pressure on an interlocutor is, of course, quite high, but it is worth remembering that people really don’t like being pressured, no matter what their character.
If you are negotiating a deal or signing an agreement, after which your interlocutor will fade into the background, then using pressure will be appropriate. Any showdowns and verbal skirmishes can also be effectively resolved by putting pressure on the opponent. But if your goal is long-term cooperation with people on whom your well-being will depend, then I do not recommend using psychological pressure in this case. You can demonstrate high self-confidence, people like it, especially women who see a man, first of all, as a strong male.
There is no need to show aggression or disrespect for your interlocutor; this is bad for long-term cooperation. The confidence alone that you demonstrate can overwhelm your interlocutor, especially if you have a lot of arguments in your favor and, again, use the third voice mode, that is, a loud and clear voice, with an emphasis on the right things. Never doubt yourself, and in your speech, at least don’t show it, otherwise psychological pressure will be used against you. This can certainly be resisted, and I will definitely write about how to do it.
But the most important thing I want to tell you is that there is no one hundred percent guarantee for any communication tactic; they all have their pros and cons. Psychological pressure is, of course, very effective in most cases, but it also happens that it is harmful and does not lead to anything other than a negative attitude towards you and a severance of all ties with you. Therefore, try to look for the most acceptable communication option, appropriate in each specific situation, which is mainly aimed at obtaining a positive result for you.
Psychological pressure is a way of influencing a person in which it is possible to influence not only his actions and behavior, but often even his way of thinking and opinion.
What is psychological pressure?
Psychological pressure is used for various reasons. This is often done due to a lack of real power on the part of the person applying the pressure, or due to lack of self-confidence. A possessive person does not put pressure on others, but resolves problems, trying to use direct and honest methods.
Psychological pressure not only “breaks” the victim and causes him a lot of anxiety and loss of internal sense of security. This method of influence can also turn against the one who uses it - in the Criminal Code Russian Federation an article is provided (Article 40 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) for those who exert insurmountable psychological pressure. The article provides for punishment for psychological pressure on a person, and at the same time is an exculpatory clause for the victim of such influence - the justice of the Russian Federation considers pressure so powerful that it can drive a person to commit a crime against his will.
Thus, pressure in psychology is an extremely undesirable method of action. It may seem that knowing how to put psychological pressure on a person is healthy and effective, and very helpful in life to achieve your own goals. Many psychologists, especially those who specialize in business training, also think so. However, pressure remains an unhealthy strategy that can only produce temporary results, and in the long term brings only trauma and suffering to those around them.
Knowledge of how to suppress a person psychologically is necessary, first of all, in order to be able to resist this pressure from others. Many people are familiar with this condition in which, after manipulation, they are forced to do something that contradicts their inner beliefs. At the same time, they experience a lot of mixed negative emotions - from shame and anger to a literal split of personality into two parts.
Types of psychological pressure
There are several types of psychological pressure, each of which requires special attention to its conduct and evasion strategy. Let's list the most common types of pressure, and then we'll talk about how to resist them.
The first of them, the most simple and undisguised, is coercion. Coercion can, which has an imaginary or real superiority over its victim. This could be a boss threatening to fire you, or a back-street bandit threatening with a knife. Both are nothing more than coercion.
Humiliation (or humiliation) is the second type of psychological pressure. For him, the manipulator gets personal, insults (probably even publicly), emphasizes disadvantages that are painful for the victim: appearance, illness, Family status etc. The most base and offensive words are selected, which are designed to “crush” the victim of manipulation. How does this work for a manipulator, what would a humiliated person want to do for the person who told him so much? It’s very simple: after the nasty things have been voiced, the manipulator immediately offers a way through which the humiliated victim can rise in the eyes of society - to carry out the proposed assignment.
The next pressure technique is avoidance. In this case, an implicit manipulation is carried out, and when the victim tries to clarify the situation, the manipulator indignantly waves it away. Thus, the victim of manipulation is created with “cognitive dissonance” - an unpleasant feeling that she is doing something wrong. In an effort to get rid of this feeling, a person fulfills any requests of the manipulator.
Suggestion and persuasion are options for using psychological pressure. In this case, the manipulator must have some kind of influence on the victim: either have unconditional authority in her eyes, or be a person well known to her. Suggestion is more focused on emotions. The manipulator may use phrases like “Listen to me, I know for sure...”, or “Don’t you trust my opinion...”, or “I only wish the best for you, so...”.
In this case, the psychological suppression of a person occurs as if out of good intentions, as a result of which the victim adopts the imposed opinion and begins to consider it his own. Conviction is characterized by rationalization, i.e. they try to convince a person of something using the arguments of logic, sometimes quite perverted. The number of arguments, both real and imaginary, reaches such a quantity that the victim’s brain simply gets tired of perceiving the information critically and automatically agrees.
Thanks required. This is a variant of long-term psychological pressure. The manipulator first provides the victim with a service: one that he was not asked for and which did not really cost him anything. He can regularly provide such imaginary “help” to the victim, ingratiating himself with the victim’s trust. The moment you give something to the manipulator, the request to “return the favor” comes into play. The request can become quite intrusive and turn into threats if the victim does not agree to the terms immediately.
How to resist psychological pressure?
It should be understood that manipulators are not guided by a special list that says how to put psychological pressure on a person. This means that the manipulator does not choose only one method of pressure - in life there can be the most sophisticated combinations of strategies that change as they influence the victim. These methods are chosen depending on the inspiration and degree of depravity of the manipulator, i.e., practically nothing limits his imagination.
In this regard, coping strategies must be flexible. To know how to resist psychological pressure, you need to recognize that it is being put on you. Sometimes this is very difficult to do: as already mentioned, there are a lot of ways to exert psychological pressure on a person and they can form the most unexpected combinations. Therefore, you need to regularly ask yourself the question: am I doing this because I want to, or does someone else want it? If, when answering a question, you feel some kind of fragmentation, duality, if your motivation turns out to be dictated from the outside by a specific person, this is a sign that pressure is being put on you.
Psychological pressure can be defeated by resorting to straightforward resistance. However, this does not work for all manipulators, and not every victim can maintain a “fighting spirit.” A straightforward response implies that the victim, aware of his situation, tells the manipulator that his demands are unrealistic or undesirable. Some manipulators can be confused by directness and admit defeat, but in many cases the victim can be immediately entangled in a network of less obvious manipulations, accept the feeling of guilt imposed on her and become mired even deeper in the ambitions of others.
Work on yourself and your self-esteem. It is no secret that it is easier to put psychological pressure on a person if he is not confident in himself and his own abilities. Independently reach more high level your life, especially for a person who is already under pressure, is almost impossible, so in such situations the intervention of a specialist is necessary.
Psychologist Nikita Valerievich Baturin conducts trainings and practical exercises dedicated to personal growth, and also helps people who have fallen under the influence of manipulators to realize their own goals and learn to avoid peer pressure. Specialist help is especially required if the toxic environment includes the victim’s immediate circle of friends – family or loved ones. The psychologist will teach you how to resist the psychological pressure of your husband or parents without destroying family ties.
Psychological pressure: protection against manipulation in several steps
Psychological pressure is more difficult to recognize than to overcome. If you know exactly who is putting pressure on you and on what issues, a few simple defense techniques will help you. They may seem insignificant, but if you are aware of what and why you are using them, they will work. Techniques against psychological pressure are as follows:
- Create “barriers.” If you feel that an unpleasant conversation is starting, in which they will try to “crush” you, place various objects between yourself and the interlocutor. An ashtray, a chair, a cup, a mobile phone - any, even insignificant, object on the way from the manipulator to you can become your mental “defense” and an obstacle to aggressive influence.
- Take closed poses. Cross your legs, cross your arms, put a finger to your lips or eyebrows, and support your face with your palm. All these natural barriers that you create with your own body on the path of aggressive influence will help you think more critically in relation to what the interlocutor imputes to you. In addition, these poses give confidence.
- Create mental barriers. Draw a circle near you with your imagination, stand up a dome or wall, you can mentally put yourself in a spacesuit. Imagine that behind an imaginary barrier there is your safety zone, where no one can penetrate, no matter how hard he tries.
- Distract the manipulator's attention. Move objects in front of him, perform various manipulations, cough, yawn, stretch: show any motor activity, which will not allow the opponent to concentrate on what he is saying. The main thing is not to overdo it, because everything should look natural.
- Introduce your interlocutor in a funny way. For example, mentally put a jester's hat on your important boss or make him a screaming penguin. As long as you're focused on creating a funny image, you won't have time to be afraid, which means you'll have more opportunity to process and confront incoming information.
The listed techniques will help you gain confidence and find the mental resource to resist the manipulator. can be used constantly, but they are not enough to constructively discuss a controversial subject and unconditionally regain the advantage in the situation.
How to get out of pressure?
Here are specific techniques that will allow you to win the advantage to your side in a conflict situation:
- Ask questions. The first question to ask when applying pressure is: “Can I refuse this request?” Even if your opponent answers “Yes, but...”, you can already use this answer to explain your refusal. If the answer is no, you should ask a number of other questions. It is especially important during such an “interview” to monitor the reaction of the manipulator - his facial expressions or gestures. Often only stare enough to break your opponent's confidence. In a situation of pressure, clarifying questions that are not direct confrontation, but help to identify “holes” in the manipulation, can help. “Does it look like I don’t want to take responsibility?”, “Does it look like I’m afraid?”, “What should I be afraid of?”, “Do you think that I have no right to refuse?”, “Why are you Are you so sure of what you’re saying?” Such questions can confuse the manipulator and buy time for the next step.
- Determine your opponent's strategy. How and with what are they trying to break you? Maybe the manipulator refers to his experience or age? Take advantage of your experience and age. Refers to authorities? Challenge them or tell them that this figure is not an authority figure in your particular dispute. Is he trying to put pressure on others? If they are present in person, you can ask each of them why they support your opponent and not you. If the manipulator tries to gain an advantage with pace or a quick attack, take a break and tell him that he urgently needs to move away. The main thing in any dispute is to take your time and be attentive to exactly how the pressure is applied to find weak sides this method.
- Use your advantages. It is best to use the same strategies as your opponent - find support from third parties or authorities, your own merits or experience. However, you should not overdo it: your task is to extinguish the conflict by balancing the forces, and not to provoke a new one, transferring the manipulator to the status of a victim.
- Make an agreement. Now that the manipulator’s strategy has been reversed and he cannot unconditionally dictate his terms to you, you have an option that will suit both of you equally. Offer compromise solutions. If it is possible to forever avoid contact with the manipulator, you should cut off all the ends and no longer deal with this person.
Remember that psychological pressure is a traumatic method of influence, and it is better not to resort to it unless necessary. And if you can’t cope with the pressure on your own, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
