Manipulations

Manipulation is a general term for handling, controlling, or influencing something or someone to achieve a desired outcome. It spans physical handling of objects, psychological influence in social settings, and the alteration of information, data, or systems. The core idea is changing the state or behavior of a target through skilled action.

Physical manipulation involves using hands or tools to move, adjust, or assemble objects. In industry, manipulators such as robotic arms handle materials. In health care, manual manipulation includes therapies that mobilize joints or soft tissues, such as chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy techniques.

Psychological or social manipulation refers to guiding or coercing another person’s beliefs or actions. It can be deliberate and unethical, using deception, exploitation of biases, or social influence tactics. Techniques include flattery, appeals to authority, social proof, fear appeals, misdirection, and gaslighting. Persuasion becomes manipulation when it bypasses consent or exploits vulnerability.

Data and information manipulation means altering data, results, or narratives to mislead. This includes fabrication or falsification of data, selective reporting, p-hacking, and cherry-picking evidence, as well as tampering with records. In research and journalism, transparency and verification are safeguards against manipulation.

Digital or media manipulation covers image, audio, or video edits, deepfakes, and coordinated online misrepresentation, often amplified by automation and bots.

Ethics and detection: manipulation raises questions of autonomy and harm, and defenses include disclosure, verification, and critical media literacy.