Minimisation (psychology)

Last updated

Minimisation or minimization is a tactic where an individual intentionally downplays a situation or a thing. [1] [2] Minimisation, or downplaying the significance of an event or emotion, is a common strategy in dealing with feelings of guilt. [3]

Contents

Manipulation

Minimisation may take the form of a manipulative technique:

Typical psychological defences exhibited by stalkers and guilty criminal suspects include denial, rationalisation, minimisation and projection of blame onto the victim. [7]

A variation on minimisation as a manipulative technique is "claiming altruistic motives" such as saying "I don't do this because I am selfish, and for gain, but because I am a socially aware person interested in the common good". [8]

School bullying

School bullying is one form of victimisation or physical abuse which has sometimes been unofficially encouraged, ritualised or even minimised as a sort of prank by teachers or peers. The main difference between pranks and bullying is establishment of power inequity between the bully and the victim that lasts beyond the duration of the act. [9]

Understatements

Understatement is a form of speech which contains an expression of less strength than what would be expected. [10] A related term is euphemism, where a polite phrase is used in place of a harsher or more offensive expression. [11]

Self-esteem/depression

Redefining events to downplay their significance can be an effective way of preserving one's self-esteem. [12] One of the problems of depression (found in those with clinical, bipolar, and chronic depressive mood disorders, as well as cyclothymia) is the tendency to do the reverse: minimising the positive, discounting praise, [13] and dismissing one's own accomplishments. [14] On the other hand, one technique used by Alfred Adler to combat neurosis was to minimise the excessive significance the neurotic attaches to his own symptoms [15] —the narcissistic gains derived from pride in one's own illness. [16]

Social minimisation

Display rules expressing a group's general consensus about the display of feeling often involve minimising the amount of emotion one displays, as with a poker face. [17] Social interchanges involving minor infringements often end with the 'victim' minimising the offence with a comment like 'Think nothing of it', [18] using so-called 'reduction words', [19] such as 'no big deal,' 'only a little,' 'merely,' or 'just', the latter particularly useful in denying intent. [20] On a wider scale, renaming things in a more benign or neutral form—'collateral damage' for death—is a form of minimisation.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euphemism</span> Innocuous word or expression used in place of one that may be found offensive

A euphemism is an innocuous word or expression used in place of one that is deemed offensive or suggests something unpleasant. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse, while others use bland, inoffensive terms for concepts that the user wishes to downplay. Euphemisms may be used to mask profanity or refer to topics some consider taboo such as mental or physical disability, sexual intercourse, bodily excretions, pain, violence, illness, or death in a polite way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scapegoating</span> Practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame

Scapegoating is the practice of singling out a person or group for unmerited blame and consequent negative treatment. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals, individuals against groups, groups against individuals, and groups against groups.

Psychological projection is a defence mechanism of alterity concerning "inside" content mistaken to be coming from the "outside" Other. It forms the basis of empathy by the projection of personal experiences to understand someone else's subjective world. In its malignant forms, it is a defense mechanism in which the ego defends itself against disowned and highly negative parts of the self by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others, breeding misunderstanding and causing untold interpersonal damage. Projection incorporates blame shifting and can manifest as shame dumping. Projection has been described as an early phase of introjection.

Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, or making negative statements about an individual or group that their actions or inaction are socially or morally irresponsible, the opposite of praise. When someone is morally responsible for doing something wrong, their action is blameworthy. By contrast, when someone is morally responsible for doing something right, it may be said that their action is praiseworthy. There are other senses of praise and blame that are not ethically relevant. One may praise someone's good dress sense, and blame their own sense of style for their own dress sense.

Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of aggression. To these descriptions, one can also add the Kantian notion of the wrongness of using another human being as means to an end rather than as ends in themselves. Some sources describe abuse as "socially constructed", which means there may be more or less recognition of the suffering of a victim at different times and societies.

Assertiveness is the quality of being self-assured and confident without being aggressive to defend a right point of view or a relevant statement. In the field of psychology and psychotherapy, it is a skill that can be learned and a mode of communication. Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines assertiveness as:

Rationalization is a defense mechanism in which apparent logical reasons are given to justify behavior that is motivated by unconscious instinctual impulses. It is an attempt to find reasons for behaviors, especially one's own. Rationalizations are used to defend against feelings of guilt, maintain self-respect, and protect oneself from criticism.

Gaslighting is a colloquialism, defined as manipulating someone into questioning their own perception of reality. The expression, which derives from the title of the 1944 film Gaslight, became popular in the mid-2010s. Merriam-Webster cites deception of one's memory, perception of reality, or mental stability.

Verbal abuse is a type of psychological/mental abuse that involves the use of oral, gestured, and written language directed to a victim. Verbal abuse can include the act of harassing, labeling, insulting, scolding, rebuking, or excessive yelling towards an individual. It can also include the use of derogatory terms, the delivery of statements intended to frighten, humiliate, denigrate, or belittle a person. These kinds of attacks may result in mental and/or emotional distress for the victim.

Workplace bullying is a persistent pattern of mistreatment from others in the workplace that causes either physical or emotional harm. The tactics it may include are verbal, nonverbal, psychological, and physical abuse, as well as humiliation. This type of workplace aggression is particularly difficult because, unlike typical school bullies, workplace bullies often operate within the established rules and policies of both their organization and society. In most cases, workplace bullying is reported as being carried out by someone who is in a position of authority over the victim. However, bullies can also be peers or subordinates. When subordinates participate in bullying, this is referred to as ‘upwards bullying.’ The least visible form of workplace bullying involves upwards bullying where bullying tactics are manipulated and applied against a superior, often for strategically motivated outcomes.

Mind games are actions performed for reasons of psychological one-upmanship, often employing passive–aggressive behavior to specifically demoralize or dis-empower the thinking subject, making the aggressor look superior. It also describes the unconscious games played by people engaged in ulterior transactions of which they are not fully aware, and which transactional analysis considers to form a central element of social life all over the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Propaganda techniques</span> Methods of mind manipulation, often based on logical fallacies

Propaganda techniques are methods used in propaganda to convince an audience to believe what the propagandist wants them to believe. Many propaganda techniques are based on socio-psychological research. Many of these same techniques can be classified as logical fallacies or abusive power and control tactics.

Moral disengagement is a meaning from Developmental psychology, educational psychology and social psychology for the process of convincing the self that ethical standards do not apply to oneself in a particular context. This is done by separating moral reactions from inhumane conduct and disabling the mechanism of self-condemnation. Thus, moral disengagement involves a process of cognitive re-construing or re-framing of destructive behavior as being morally acceptable without changing the behavior or the moral standards.

Victimisation is the state or process of being victimised or becoming a victim. The field that studies the process, rates, incidence, effects, and prevalence of victimisation is called victimology.

In psychology, manipulation is defined as an action designed to influence or control another person, usually in an underhanded or unfair manner which facilitates one's personal aims. Methods someone may use to manipulate another person may include seduction, suggestion, coercion, and blackmail to induce submission. Manipulation is generally considered a dishonest form of social influence as it is used at the expense of others.

The word destabilisation can be applied to a wide variety of contexts such as attempts to undermine political, military or economic power.

"Setting up to fail" is a phrase denoting a no-win situation designed in such a way that the person in the situation cannot succeed at the task which they have been assigned. It is considered a form of workplace bullying.

Controlling behavior in relationships are behaviors exhibited by a individual who seeks to gain and maintain control over another person. Abusers may utilize tactics such as intimidation or coercion, and may seek personal gain, personal gratification, and the enjoyment of exercising power and control. The victims of this behavior are often subject to psychological, physical, sexual, or financial abuse.

DARVO is a reaction that perpetrators of wrongdoing, such as sexual offenders, may display in response to being held accountable for their behavior. Some researchers indicate that it is a common manipulation strategy of psychological abusers.

Denial or abnegation is a psychological defense mechanism postulated by psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence.

References

  1. ↑ "APA Dictionary of Psychology". dictionary.apa.org. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  2. ↑ "Definition of MINIMIZE". www.merriam-webster.com. 2024-10-13. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  3. ↑ Robert Hoyk/Paul Hersey, The Ethical Executive (2008) p. 68
  4. ↑ Simon, George K. In Sheep's Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People (1996)[ ISBN missing ][ page needed ]
  5. ↑ Minimization: Trivializing Behavior as a Manipulation Tactic
  6. ↑ Discounting, Minimizing, and Trivializing
  7. ↑ Abby Stein, Prologue to Violence (2006) p. 6
  8. ↑ Kantor, Martin The Psychopathy of Everyday Life 2006 [ ISBN missing ]
  9. ↑ Goldsmid, S.; Howie, P. (2014). "Bullying by definition: An examination of definitional components of bullying". Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. 19 (2): 210–225. doi:10.1080/13632752.2013.844414. S2CID   145146347.
  10. ↑ "Definition of UNDERSTATEMENT".
  11. ↑ Euphemism Webster's Online Dictionary.
  12. ↑ E. R. Smith/D. M. Mackie, Social Psychology (Hove 2007) pp. 136–139
  13. ↑ Paul Gilbert, Overcoming Depression (London 1999) pp. 63, 98
  14. ↑ Jacqui Lee Schiff, Cathexis Reader (New York 1975) pp. 84–85
  15. ↑ Alfred Adler, Superiority and Social Interest (1964) p. 192
  16. ↑ Otto Fenichel, The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neurosis (London 1946) p. 462
  17. ↑ Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence (London 1995) p. 113
  18. ↑ Erving Goffman, Relations in Public (1972) p. 177
  19. ↑ Robert Hoyk/Paul Hersey, The Ethical Executive (2008) pp. 68–69
  20. ↑ N. Symington, Narcissism (1990) p. 116

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.