Hello Steemians !
Did you ever ask yourself how to make someone do everything you want ? Or how to get someone to think another person is good or bad ? Or maybe you want to get someone to make that particular decision ?
There is a few techniques to easily understand the concept of manipulation.
Cognitive dissonance
What is it ? Wikipedia says it is a mental discomfort experienced when someone have two or more contradictory ideas, or beliefs. A dilemma can be a cognitive dissonance too.
So yes, we know what is cognitive dissonance. But how is this useful ?
Good question !
If someone is experiencing that kind of discomfort, simply offer him a "better" choice.
The better choice
To understand, imagine your compagny offer two subscriptions : Number 1 at 20 bucks per month for 1 year, and number 2 at 10$ per month for 3 years.
Both options have pros and cons. The buyer will hesitate between the two options, and is likely to never choose, because he can't determine what is the best option for him.
The solution is to create a third offer : 15$ per month for 2 years.
There is a well known paradox called the Buridan's donkey paradox. The donkey died between his food and water buckets because it didn't figure what it wanted first.
It is exactly the same with cognitive dissonance. If there was a third bucket with both food and water, the donkey would be alive.
When you want to manipulate someone's choice, be sure to create that third bucket !
But it is not the only thing you can do.
The Art of using autority
There was an experiment where a searcheur asked for a group of subjects to write down the phone book for half an hour. Then the searcher takes subject's copies and tear them up in front on them. All of this for 3 times.
Then the group was divided in half. Each member of the first group was paid 20$/hour and 2$/hour for the second group.
Next, the two groups were asked to explain this activity to the next subjects and to promote it.
The 20$/h's group claimed the work they done was completely useless, even if it was paid 20$/h.
The second group was satisfied with the task and said it was honest and easy work.
Isn't it paradoxal ?
Cognitive dissonance here my friends, again. Because these 2$/h subjects will have a mental discomfort if they keep thinking what they done is ungrateful and poorly paid. So they begin to think it was not that hard, and they won 5 dollars for this so it's not that bad By doing this, they're reducing the dissonance.
What we can deduct from this is you can ask someone to do ungrateful things with only a small reward. They will automatically think it's useful and pleasant.
Actually, sects and gourous use this technique. They ask someone to do anything and using this cognitive effect, the person will do it by relativizing the task.
LOL But how you want me to convince someone to make an ungrateful task ? They will never do it or never with please !
You're right. And you're wrong.
In fact, if you want to apply this technique, you will need to be seen as a source of autority.
For example, if you're the boss of your office, you can ask your workers to make ungrateful tasks and be convinced that they will be pleased to do so.
Of course if you are the worker, you can but it requires you to find a way to make him feel you're superior to him.
How to be a legitimate autority in any situation ?
If you read my previous post, you know the 3 factors to make someone believe in anything. One of them was about beeing a legitimate autority.
A legitimate autority is a person in who other people will give full credit. The policeman is a great example. He represent law, justice, equity. So people will believe the judgement he makes, and will accept it, like if they had no choice. It is the same for sects and gourous.
To gain autority you must have power. And to have power, you must have people following you.
Of course, it's not that difficult.
For example, if you hang out with your friends, you can start from now to be a leader, propose activities, etc... People will start to see you as a natural leader and will give you full credit.
And slowly, you can invite some more friends to this group. And so on, i think you are starting to understand now ;)
Now i have explained these concepts, you are ready for the second part ! I will post another part about manipulation but about some other techniques, I'm pretty sure you'll like it ;)
So what are you thought on this ? Do you think it is bad to manipulate ? Why ?
If you have questions, I will be pleased to answer you.
You can also upvote my post if you liked it and share it with your community if you want to.
