Disclaimer
I personally do not advocate any process or procedure contained in any of my Blogs. Information presented here is not intended to provide legal or lawful advice, nor medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevent any disease. Views expressed are for educational purposes only.
I surround, protect, purify and make harmless the following in-formation.
Introduction
Conscientious Currency
Sep 29, 2025
Psychological manipulation refers to the use of tactics that influence, control, or shape individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviours—often without their full awareness or consent. By exploiting core human vulnerabilities—such as the need for survival, security, belonging, and self-esteem, as outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs—manipulators craft narratives, evoke emotions, and apply pressure to steer people toward desired outcomes.
This form of manipulation permeates all facets of human interaction, frequently operating beneath conscious awareness. From consumer-seller dynamics leveraging scarcity, to employer-employee relationships using carrot-and-stick incentives, and even intimate partnerships employing guilt or emotional priming, these tactics exploit universal psychological susceptibilities. Individuals often engage in such behaviours unconsciously, mirroring the strategies used by larger entities.
Government
Government—entrusted to serve citizens through mutual consent—also deploys psychological manipulation to enforce compliance, suppress dissent, and justify contentious policies. The consequences of such manipulation are far more profound than those arising in personal or commercial relationships. Why? Because when government distorts perception, it erodes informed consent, breaches the social contract, undermines democratic legitimacy, and conceals authoritarian tendencies.
The purpose of this article series is to dissect 12 core manipulation tactics I have identified, explore their alignment with Maslow’s needs, examine 62 framing words and phrases prevalent in media, offer detection strategies, and expose how government’s unethical use of these methods—alongside their everyday presence in personal and professional spheres—threatens autonomy and freedom. This is Article 1 of 3 in the series.
State use of psychological manipulation
All governments have a long history of using psychological manipulation to influence public behaviour and maintain control. Below are concrete examples, grounded in documented cases, with a focus on brevity and clarity:
Propaganda Campaigns (Nazi Germany, 1930s-1940s)
Fear-Based Messaging (U.S. War on Terror, Post-9/11)
Nudge Tactics (UK, COVID-19, 2020)
Disinformation and Censorship (Soviet Union, Cold War)
Social Credit System (China, Ongoing)
Psychological manipulation by government isn’t always fear-based; the “carrot” approach, using incentives and positive reinforcement, is also common. Here are examples for clarity:
12 core psychological manipulation tactics
(I). Gaslighting
(II). Bandwagon Effect
(III). Scarcity Manipulation
(IV). Framing and Narrative Control
(V). Guilt and Moral Shaming
(VI). FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
(VII). Carrot and Stick
(VIII). Othering
(IX). Cognitive Overload
(X). Authority Bias Exploitation
(XI). Emotional Priming
(XII). Desensitisation
1 to 5 and I to XII details in the link below.
Awareness Tips:
To recognise these manipulations, look for:
Rewards or penalties tied to behaviour (carrot and stick).
Dehumanising or threat-based language about groups (othering).
Confusing or excessive information pushing deference (cognitive overload).
Overreliance on expert or leader endorsements (authority bias).
Emotionally charged, unverified stories (emotional priming).
Gradual policy escalation or repeated normalisation (desensitisation).
Combining Tactics Creates Impact
Governments often combine several psychological manipulation tactics simultaneously to amplify their effect. For example, during “COVID”, authorities employed:
Framing (“We’re all in this together”)
Bandwagon effect (“Most people comply”)
Guilt appeals (“Protect your community”)
Scarcity messaging (“Limited jab doses”)
Carrot and stick incentives (e.g., free doughnuts for jab compliance vs. job loss in the care sector for non-compliance)
These strategies were effective because they tapped into universal human traits—trust, conformity, loss aversion, and moral sensitivity.
Recovery is possible
Not all psychological or neurological changes are permanent. Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain can recover and rewire itself through new experiences—such as education, therapy, and conscious reflection. However, prolonged exposure to manipulation tactics, especially within high-stress or tightly controlled environments (e.g., authoritarian regimes), can lead to lasting neural adaptations that reinforce compliance and diminish autonomy. This is why it’s crucial to limit time spent engaging with devices or platforms that deliver “news” or “events” saturated with manipulation strategies discussed above. Reducing exposure helps preserve cognitive clarity, emotional resilience, and independent thought. Continues at https://clarewillsharrison.substack.com/p/the-psychology-of-tyranny
Part II
And Part III when complete can be found at the author’s Substack.
Without prejudice and without recourse
Doreen Agostino
Our Greater Destiny Blog
psychology