Introduction

to
Dark
Psychology
Dr Mayurika Das Biswas
And
Study Glows
 1.Manipulation Techniques
2.Persuasion and Influence
3.Dark Personalities
Topics of 4.Mind Games
Discussion 5.Cognitive Biases
6.Cults and Brainwashing
7.How to resist Dark Psychology
8.Assessment and FAQ
 Rules for the session

Don’t go judging for good and bad Only the eye of the bird matters

What goes around comes around Show your commitment to learning

Manipulation
Technique
 •Gaslighting
•Guilt-Tripping
Topics of •Emotional
Discussion Manipulation
•Isolation
•Love Bombing
 01

Gaslighting
● Gaslighting is a form of psychological
manipulation and emotional abuse in
which one person seeks to undermine
another person's perception of reality,
causing them to doubt their own
memory, judgment, and sanity.
• The term "gaslighting" originated from a play called "Gas
Light" and its subsequent film adaptations, where a husband
systematically manipulated his wife into believing she was
going insane by dimming the gas lights in their house and
denying that anything had changed.
• The manipulator undermines the victim's perception of reality,
making them doubt their own thoughts, feelings, and sanity.
This can involve distorting facts, denying events, or invalidating
the victim's experiences to gain control and power over them.
"Gas Light"

Gaslight
People may engage
in gaslighting for
various reasons,
including:
Control:
•Gaslighters aim to exert control over their
victims by undermining their sense of
reality, making them doubt their
perceptions, thoughts, and memories. This
control can be used to manipulate the
victim's behavior and emotions.
Self-esteem:
•Gaslighters often have low self-esteem
themselves and may try to boost their
own self-worth by diminishing others. By
making their victims doubt themselves,
gaslighters can feel superior and in
control.
Power dynamics:
•In relationships where there is an
imbalance of power, such as abusive
relationships, gaslighting can be a way for
the more dominant person to maintain
control and prevent the other person from
challenging their authority.
Emotional manipulation:
•Gaslighters may employ this tactic to
manipulate the emotions of their victims.
By making them question their own sanity,
they can create a sense of dependency
and vulnerability in the victim, making it
easier to exploit them emotionally.
Defence mechanism:
•In some cases, individuals may engage
in gaslighting as a defence mechanism.
They might feel threatened by the
other person's opinions or actions and
resort to gaslighting to protect
themselves or avoid accountability.
• It's important to note that gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse
and can have severe consequences for the victim's mental health
and well-being.
• If you suspect that you or someone you know is being gaslighted,
it's crucial to seek support from trusted friends, family, or
professionals who can provide guidance and assistance.
Examples of
gaslighting
techniques:
Denial and dismissal:
Gaslighters may deny or dismiss their
victim's experiences, emotions, or concerns.
They might say things like, "You're
overreacting," "That never happened," or
"You're just being sensitive."
Blatant lying:
Gaslighters often lie about past events or
conversations, creating a distorted version
of reality. They might deny making promises,
alter details of previous incidents, or
fabricate information to confuse the victim.
Withholding information:
Gaslighters may selectively withhold
information to manipulate the victim's
perception of reality. They might
conveniently "forget" to mention certain
events or conversations, leading the victim
to question their own memory or
understanding of the situation.
Twisting the truth:
Gaslighters may distort the truth and
manipulate facts to suit their narrative. They
might reinterpret conversations,
misrepresent the intentions of the victim, or
attribute false motives to confuse and
disorient them.
Projection:
Gaslighters often project their own negative
traits, behaviors, or feelings onto their
victims. By accusing the victim of the very
things they themselves are doing, they shift
the blame and make the victim doubt their
own character.
Invalidating emotions:
Gaslighters may belittle or invalidate the
victim's emotions, making them feel as
though their feelings are unreasonable or
unwarranted. They might say things like,
"You're just being dramatic" or "You're too
sensitive."
Creating confusion:
Gaslighters aim to create confusion and
uncertainty in their victims. They might
change their stance, contradict themselves,
or use manipulative tactics that make it
difficult for the victim to grasp what is real
or true.
Isolation:
Gaslighters often try to isolate their victims
from support systems, such as friends and
family, by spreading rumors or undermining
their relationships. This isolation makes the
victim more dependent on the gaslighter
and less likely to seek help or validation.
Deception and Lying:
This can involve withholding information,
spreading false rumors, or presenting a
distorted version of reality to serve their
own interests.
• It's important to be aware of these tactics and
recognize when you may be experiencing gaslighting.
• Trusting your own perceptions, seeking support from
trusted individuals, and setting boundaries can help in
dealing with gaslighters and protecting your well-being.
How to
identify
Doubting your own
perception:

Gaslighting often makes you question your

own memory, perception, or judgment.
You may find yourself constantly second-
guessing your thoughts and actions."
Feeling confused and
disoriented
Gaslighters aim to create confusion and
make you feel uncertain about what is real
or true. They may contradict themselves,
change their story, or give inconsistent
information, leaving you feeling disoriented.
Apologizing and feeling
guilty
Gaslighters often make you feel responsible
for their behavior or the problems in the
relationship. You may find yourself
apologizing frequently, even when you
haven't done anything wrong.
Losing self-confidence

Gaslighting erodes your self-esteem and

confidence over time. The gaslighter may
consistently criticize and belittle you, making
you doubt your abilities, worth, or
attractiveness.
Isolation from support
systems
Gaslighters may try to isolate you from
friends, family, or other sources of support.
They may discourage or undermine your
relationships, making you more dependent
on them for validation and guidance.
Blaming yourself
Gaslighters shift blame onto you and make
you feel responsible for their behavior. They
may make you believe that their actions are
a result of your shortcomings or mistakes.
Feeling like you're going
crazy
Gaslighting can lead to a sense of unreality
or feeling like you're losing your mind. The
constant manipulation and denial of your
experiences can cause significant emotional
distress.
Gaslighting in different
contexts

Gaslighting can occur in various settings, such as

relationships, workplaces, or even in broader
societal or political contexts. The tactics and
dynamics may differ, but the goal remains the
same—to undermine your perception of reality.
Coping with
Gas lighting
 Trust
your Recognize that your feelings
and perceptions are valid.
instincts Trust your instincts and
intuition, even if the
gaslighter tries to make you
doubt them. Remind yourself
that you have a right to your
own thoughts and emotions.
 Seek
Reach out to trusted friends,
support family members, or a support
network who can provide
validation and perspective.
Share your experiences and
concerns with someone who
can offer a listening ear and
support you emotionally.
Read Take a Sabbatical
• If you suspect you are experiencing gaslighting, it's essential to
trust your instincts. Seek support from trusted friends, family,
or professionals who can provide perspective and validation.
• Remember, gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse, and it's
important to prioritize your well-being and seek help if needed.
 01

Guilt tripping
● Guilt tripping refers to a
manipulative technique used by
individuals to make others feel
guilty or responsible for something,
often for their own benefit.
• It involves using guilt as a means of control or persuasion
to get someone to behave or act in a certain way.
• The manipulator employs emotional manipulation
techniques to make the victim feel responsible or
accountable for something, even when they are not at
fault.
• This can lead the victim to comply with the manipulator's
desires or feel obligated to meet their demands.
 Here are some
reasons why
manipulators engage
in guilt tripping:
 • Guilt tripping is a way for manipulators to
exert control over their victims. By making

Control them feel guilty, the manipulator can

manipulate their behavior and decisions,
ensuring that the victim complies with their
wishes and desires.
 • Guilt tripping is an effective form of emotional
manipulation. Manipulators use guilt as a tool
Emotional to play on the victim's emotions, creating a
sense of obligation or responsibility.
manipulation • This manipulation can make the victim more
likely to meet the manipulator's demands or
conform to their expectations.
 • Manipulators often use guilt tripping as a
way to maintain or reinforce a power
Power imbalance in the relationship. By making the
victim feel guilty, the manipulator can
imbalance establish themselves as the one who holds
moral superiority or as the victim's savior,
thereby maintaining their position of power.
 • Guilt tripping can contribute to the victim's
Reinforcement dependency on the manipulator.
• When the victim feels guilty, they may become
of more reliant on the manipulator for forgiveness,
approval, or validation. This dependency makes it
dependency easier for the manipulator to maintain control
over the victim.
 • In some cases, manipulators guilt trip as a
defense mechanism. They may use guilt as a way
Defense to deflect responsibility for their actions or to
avoid facing consequences.
mechanism • By making the victim feel guilty, the manipulator
shifts the focus away from their own behavior
and onto the victim's supposed wrongdoing.
Techniques of doing
 Comparison to ideals

exaggerating the loss caused by

actions

accentuating the role of one

person in an unfortunate event
ignoring other contibuting factors
 Playing
Martydom

Conditional
Love
How to identify
You feel guilty
you are asked/expected to do
something you dont want to do
Exaggerated Language : Use of ALL OR
NOTHING or CATASTROPHISINZ always,
never, worst, destroyed
Coping with
Guilt tripping
 Record the
Uncondition Build a person's
al Self support fluctuation
Acceptance system in behaviour
over time
 01
Emotional
Manipulation
● Emotional manipulation refers to a set of
tactics or strategies used by individuals to
control or influence the emotions,
thoughts, and behaviors of others for their
own benefit.
● It is a form of psychological manipulation
that primarily targets a person's emotions,
vulnerabilities, and insecurities to gain
power and control over them.
• It encompasses various tactics used to exploit the
emotions of others for personal gain.

• This can involve playing on someone's fears, insecurities,

or vulnerabilities to control their behavior or decisions.
Emotional manipulators may use tactics such as guilt,
sympathy, flattery, or emotional blackmail.
Reasons
 Fear of abandonment
Our Self doubt and or Rejection
Low self esteem

Strong need for

Narcissict's control, power and
willingness to hurt us winning
for personal gain Past trauma and
unresolved issues
 sympathy

Techniques
emotional
flattery
blackmail
How to identify?
 Despite the kind words you dont
feel empowered

Flattery is followed by attempts of

isolation , asking for favours,
provocation to take risks, yeild
secrects, etc.

My way or high way

 Fights
apologises to
Rejects
come back
 01

Isolation
● Isolation refers to the state of being
separated, cut off, or detached from others
or the surrounding environment.
● It involves a lack of social interaction,
support, or connection with people or the
community.
● Isolation can occur on multiple levels,
including physical, social, and emotional
isolation.
• Isolation is deliberately cutting off or limiting a person's
contact with others.
• By isolating the victim, manipulators gain more control
and influence over them.
• This can be done by restricting access to social support,
intentionally creating conflict between the victim and
others, or manipulating the victim's perception of their
relationships.
Reasons
 they are
afraid of or
So that
So that cannot
attacking
gaslighting tolerate
confidence
becomes easy opposition
becomes easy
and rejection
from others
Techniques of doing
Only you love me, Only I love you , let me
please protect me be a wall around you
against the world by and protect you
being a wall around me against the world

constant criticism of
the world and your
support system
punishment for having Reward for shunning
social contact or social the social support and
support the world

you are terrible no one

wants you except me
How to identify?
You are no longer intouch with people
who cared for you

you want to be in touch with your

earlier support system but are afraid
of reaching out

you and the perpetuator spend more

than necessary time with each other
and you despise it more and more
Coping with
isolation
 seek legal
Reach out
counsel ,
to
RUN talk to
friends,
women's
relatives,
cell
 01
Love
Bombing
● Love bombing is a manipulative tactic
often employed by individuals in the
context of romantic relationships or cult-
like groups.

● The term "love bombing" is derived from

the idea that the person being targeted is
essentially being "bombed" with love and
affection.
• The manipulator overwhelms the victim with excessive
affection, attention, and praise in the early stages of a
relationship. This creates a sense of dependency and emotional
attachment, making it easier for the manipulator to control
and manipulate the victim later on.

• Love bombing is a manipulation technique used by individuals

to gain control over others, particularly in romantic
relationships or cult-like settings.
 It involves showering the target with
excessive affection, attention, and
compliments in order to create a strong
emotional bond and dependency.
 Reasons why
individuals may
employ love bombing
as a manipulation
technique…
Gain quick control
Gain control
Love bombers seek to establish dominance and
control over the target.
By making the target feel valued, desired, and
loved, they gradually erode the target's
autonomy and independence, making it easier
to manipulate their thoughts, behaviours, and
decisions.
Make target emotionally
dependent
Love bombers exploit the target's emotions,
often exploiting their vulnerabilities,
insecurities, or past traumas.
By overwhelming the target with love and
affection, they create a sense of obligation and
emotional dependence, making it easier to
manipulate and control them.
Rapid Intimacy
Love bombers accelerate the pace of a
relationship, creating an illusion of deep
connection and compatibility.
This can make the target feel special and
flattered, but it also prevents them from
critically assessing the relationship or
recognizing red flags.
Personal gain
Love bombers may have ulterior motives, such as
financial exploitation, emotional validation, or
fulfilling their own emotional or psychological
needs, honey trapping.
They may exploit the target's resources,
compromise their boundaries, or manipulate them
into doing things they wouldn't normally do.
Thank You