Sweet Talk To Silent Treatment, What Manipulation Looks Like

Silent Treatment

While it’s common for a person to emotionally and verbally shut down when they’re experiencing overwhelming feelings, it can also be intentionally used as a manipulation tactic. Cutting off communication is a form of manipulation sometimes used to hammer home your demands or express disapproval. This can include withholding affection, communication or intimacy.

Leadership

This can sometimes be employed to ace an interview. Always present yourself as you are aware of the situation. When you show that you know what you’re talking about, people are more drawn to you and trust you. You can accomplish this by sharing your experiences or what you have learned. For example, include any relevant schooling or achievements you’ve had. The more confident and knowledgeable you appear the more likely people are to listen to you.

Change the Subject

Changing the topic is a normal aspect of conversations, but a manipulator uses this passive-aggressive tactic to confuse or distract the other person from the actual subject. When a partner makes a valid point in a conversation or receives a compliment from another person, a manipulator will change the subject to prevent them from speaking to shift attention and appear in the spotlight.

Mirror Body Language

People prefer to be with others who are similar to them. Manipulators subtly replicate body language, like leaning in when they do or matching their facial expressions to win over people.

Sweet Talk

Sweet words, such as praises, can have a significant impact on how others see you. When you compliment someone, it instantly lifts their mood, increases their confidence, and makes them more willing to listen to you. Note these subtle cues to tell your friends from opportunistic manipulators.