SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF MANIPULATIONS AND ABUSE AS FORMS OF UNEQUAL SOCIAL EXCHANGE

Abstract

Relevance. Denoted as the presence of deficiency, weak ordering of scientific opinions on classification criteria, differentiation, and description of manipulation and abuse (especially, psychological abuse) processes with current cultural and practical demand. Objective. A comparative analysis of manipulation and abuse (physical and psychological) phenomena as forms of unequal social exchange, the process and consequences of their implementation in particular was made. Methodology and basic concepts. The search of relevant literature on the topic with the help of which definitions and criteria describing and differentiating these phenomena were formulated. Results. As procedural criteria for comparison the author considers the attitude towards subjectivity of an abused/manipulated object (the simulation of subjectivity and its destruction); the influence targets (the motivational sphere, understanding of one’s needs or physical/psychological conditions for the implementation of volition); the subject of exchange (a wide range of possible resources, such as the need for security). As a result, the differences between manipulation and abuse is that in the first case motivational bases of the object’s activity gets distorted, but generally remains functioning, while in the second case the activity is interrupted and violated, and the exploitation implements through the desubjectivation. Thus, the consequences of manipulation are majorly associated with possible disorders of the motivational sphere, while the experienced abuse might affect mental qualities related to volitional functions, which determine not the direction of the one’s activity, but the activity itself, i.e., potentially a wider range of deformed structures.

Keywords

• manipulation
• abuse
• psychological abuse
• psychological security
• emotional security