How language can be used to dominate others and how to protect yourself from it 

Have you ever felt like you have been carried away by a person’s manner of speaking? They could be an influential speaker or they could be using language like a weapon to persuade or dominate people, to get what they want. Language is an exceptionally valuable tool and can be a double-edged sword, depending on its wielder. Control can be maintained and power can be established through manipulation of language, making it inherently dangerous in the hands of powerful people. The truth serves as an effective defence against this treacherous weapon.

Communication has many layers to it that occur simultaneously, through body language, gestures and speech. It can also have underlying messages that are not explicitly expressed in words. This unspoken layer of communication can be a predominantly insidious channel that can lead the receivers of a message to feel, think or behave specifically without questioning reflecting or on their own behaviour.

Domination is inherently direct. In contrast, manipulation operates in a more subtle manner. It relies on the advantage of remaining undetected by the person being manipulated. Additionally, it depends on the manipulated individual being unaware of the manipulator’s true intentions.

Language and Cognition

Do you think there is an association between language and the way we think? Yes! It affects our attitudes, expands what we know and shapes the way we observe or perceive the world. How does that happen? Well, language and culture are profoundly intertwined. They have a combined effect on our morals and subsequently reflect in our behaviour. An important instance of this occurrence is through idioms and proverbs from specific countries that showcase their cultural heritage, values and beliefs.

For Example, Indian sayings are often rooted in day-to-day life and superstitious beliefs. They aim to convey philosophies and wisdom that reflect the traditions of our country.

Different avenues for language manipulation:

As we are culturally susceptible to believing in certain things, it could pose an avenue for influencing or dominating people or an entire community. The other avenues where language can be used to govern are:  

Advertising

As the main goal of advertising is to convince consumers to buy a product or avail of a service, language and its nuances are used controversially to control the consumer’s decision-making process. For example using deliberately unscrupulous language to lure customers to buy a product, with words like “Never before deals”, and “Too good to be true offer”. 

While some tactics can be direct and identifiable, the more subtle types are the ones to watch out for! Subliminal messages hidden in ad campaigns or logos tend to provoke a subconscious reaction in the people who view such advertisements. An example of such powerful advertising is Amazon’s logo which subliminally showcases that they sell everything from A to Z and the arrow below the brand name looks like a smile, indicating satisfaction or contentment.

Politics

From calculatedly discrediting the opposition, and manufacturing statistics to extensive promises of socio-economic developments, politicians have been using language effectively to persuade their communities to guarantee favourable outcomes for themselves. Fear can also serve as a motivator to assert power over people. Dominant language used to control entire nations has been prevalent historically and continues to fuel politics even today. 

By twisting the language in their slogans and campaigns, political parties can influence the population which results in people losing sight of their own morals and becoming stuck in regressive ways of thinking.

Read More: The Psychology of Elections: Inside the Minds of Voters

Media

As access to Mass Media platforms has amplified, the extent of manipulation and misinformation is also on the rise. Corporations, Governments, Political leaders and numerous kinds of social groups and movements use media as a platform to shape the narratives of the general populace. On the other hand, news outlets present to objectively and accurately deliver information and knowledge to the masses, are notorious for spreading pro-government propaganda. 

The proverb “The pen is mightier than the sword.” is an excellent example that emphasizes the extensive power that writing or language can hold.  

Humour 

Humor that is designed to subdue certain communities or genders is one of the most common avenues for language to be used for dominion. Stereotyping, gender-based humour, and language bias towards particular groups are examples of disempowering humour. In social media, some forms of humour are used to highlight social hierarchy, power dynamics and discrimination among people of different genders, sexualities, communities, regions, religions and other social groups. 

For example, hate speeches are used on social media platforms to attack and provoke certain people or groups deemed inferior or problematic. This, in turn, causes stigma around that particular group of people and can be mentally damaging to their psyche, leading to drastic actions to retaliate. 

Types of Exploitation in Personal Relationships:

People usually tend to exploit some elements of a bond to bring some benefits for themselves in some way. It is often tough to identify, especially when they’re happening to you. Here are some forms of manipulation that can happen in interpersonal relationships: 

Factual Manipulation

Facts can be manipulated in convincing ways to control or influence people. Some examples include exaggeration, understatements, lying, strategic omission of significant data, imposing or bombarding with knowledge, etc.

Coercion

Coercive language can cause a sense of helplessness and fear and is usually prevalent in workplaces and other group situations. Threatening to file a complaint or fire an employee if they don’t adhere to the problematic demands of the employer is one of the common examples of how coercion is used to take control of a person’s freedom to act or speak.

Passive Aggression 

This is a covert form of manipulation that expresses anger, hostility or resentment towards a certain individual and provokes a sense of confusion and powerlessness in the mind of the person subjected to it. Examples included backhanded compliments, cynicism, sarcasm, exclusion, etc.

Read More: Passive Aggressive Behaviour in the Workplace

Emotional Manipulation 

Preying on the emotions of individuals or groups is one of the scarier forms of manipulation, as it leaves the person psychologically scarred and trapped in a sense of helplessness. Forms of manipulation where a person’s emotions are played with include Gaslighting (Undermines credibility and denies speech), Guilt trip (Verbal or non-verbal communication designed to make a person experience guilt), and Blackmail (Uses fear, guilt and obligation to control people).

How to protect yourself from domination: 

1. Be aware and mindful of your surroundings and the people you interact with.
2. Always double-check your sources and investigate on your own when you are given information or when you interact with people.
3. Learn to spot implied messages and ulterior motives by observing and recognizing the signs of manipulative tactics.
4. Avoid People Pleasing as it can lead to being manipulated by guilt and fear.
5. Have a sense of self, and stick to your morals/principles. Be open to debating your beliefs but be wary of being swayed by others’ principles.
6. Notice when you’re forming a confirmation bias (Only interpreting information that confirms your previous beliefs)
7. Avoid overreacting or jumping to conclusions when faced with diverse opinions.
8. Set clear and consistent boundaries on what is acceptable behavior and indicate explicit consequences if boundaries are deliberately crossed.
9. Social Media or any Mass Media can be a dangerous tool when misused so take everything you view on it with a pinch of salt. 
10. If you doubt that you are being psychologically manipulated or dominated, talk to someone you trust. A third person can offer their support or protection and also identify more subtle forms of manipulation that you might have missed.

Read More: Do you end up confusing people pleasing with kindness?

Did you know?

Transaction Analysis – Hidden Transactions

Transactional Analysis is a theory developed by psychiatrist Eric Bernes, which emphasizes and analyses the different forms of interpersonal transactions. In his theory, ulterior or hidden transactions occur when there is an underlying message behind any transaction or communication.   According to Berne, complementary transactions with no hidden motives and mutual respect are the transactions that elicit the best results in communication.