Emotional Manipulation Techniques

noun A story that is intended to evoke pity or sympathy, often by recounting personal hardships or misfortunes.

• The defendant's sob story did not sway the jury during the trial.
• She always has some sob story to tell whenever she's running late.
• I'm not buying his sob story about why he didn't finish his homework.
• Her constant sob story about her problems is starting to wear thin on me.

noun a term used to describe the act of exaggerating one's emotional problems or difficulties in order to gain sympathy or attention from others

• The act of sadfishing on social media can have negative consequences on one's mental health.
• I noticed that she was sadfishing on Instagram again, seeking attention from her followers.
• Stop sadfishing, nobody wants to see constant posts about your problems.
• Her constant sadfishing was like a cry for help in a sea of social media noise.

noun a pattern of behavior used to dominate, manipulate, or intimidate a partner in an intimate relationship

• Coercive control is a pattern of behavior used by one person to dominate and control another.
• She finally left him after realizing the extent of his coercive control over her.
• That guy is a master at using coercive control to get what he wants.
• The government's use of coercive control over the media is concerning for freedom of speech.

noun a slang term for a manipulative behavior in which someone gives backhanded compliments or subtle insults to undermine the confidence of a person they are interested in romantically

verb to engage in the practice of negging

• Negging is a manipulative technique used in some social interactions.
• I heard that guy was negging you at the party last night.
• I can't believe he was negging you like that, what a jerk.
• His constant negging was like a dark cloud hanging over their relationship.