The Psychology of Suggestion: Suggestion as a Tool of Influence
What is suggestion? How does it manifest in communication between people? What is self-suggestion really about? This article will answer these and other questions.
In general, suggestion is not just a method of persuasion. It is used in education, therapy for various psychological disorders, and to improve people’s well-being. At the same time, it can be a tool for manipulation and a means of controlling one person’s thoughts by another. What types of suggestion exist, what is the psychology behind this type of influence in human interaction, and is it fair to view suggestion as a means of mind control? Let’s explore these questions.
The Psychology of Suggestion
Suggestion (also called “suggestion” or “suggestibility”) is a psychological influence on a person’s consciousness. Most often, the person doing the suggesting uses methods that bypass the critical perception of the person being influenced. These influences are usually verbal or emotional in nature.
Suggestion can target the unconscious part of the psyche. A person’s susceptibility to suggestion depends on their level of suggestibility.
Definitions by Psychologists
Here are five definitions of suggestion from prominent psychologists:
- McDougall: “It is a process of communication that leads one person to accept a thought or idea proposed by another.”
- Sir T. P.: “It is the involuntary acceptance of someone else’s concepts.”
- Okdon: “I see suggestion as the cognitive aspect of the herd instinct.”
- Allport: “It is the unreasoned acceptance by one person of the thoughts or ideas of another.”
- Stern: “It seems to me to be the exclusive awakening of mental processes through hidden, sometimes subtle imitation.”
From these definitions, it’s clear that suggestion is a kind of exchange, primarily rooted in communication, where one person involuntarily accepts the thoughts, ideas, opinions, or perspectives offered by another.
The Power of Suggestion
Suggestion is incredibly powerful. It’s used not only for good, such as in therapy for psychological trauma, but also for manipulation. Suggestion is almost like hypnosis. The more suggestible a person is, the more vulnerable they can be. The problem is, almost all of us are suggestible to some degree, often absorbing things unconsciously during acts of suggestion.
For example, what comes to mind when you hear “Take a break!”? Most people think of Twix, thanks to the famous candy bar ad: “Take a break, have a Twix!” There are countless examples like this. To illustrate, here’s a simple experiment that shows 9 out of 10 people are suggestible, demonstrating the undeniable power of suggestion.
- Get comfortable at your desk. Clear away any unnecessary items (cups, cigarette packs, etc.).
- Take a sheet of paper and a pen. If you don’t have them, open a new document on your computer.
- Make a list of the five things most precious to you.
- Once finished, clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts. This is important for the next step.
- Relax your body as well.
- Tear up the list into tiny pieces, or if it’s digital, save and then delete it.
Done? Congratulations! The experiment is over. There’s no result—except that you just did exactly as instructed, saying goodbye to your most precious things without hesitation. By accepting the idea that this was an experiment to help you understand suggestibility, you demonstrated your own suggestibility.
Suggestibility
Suggestibility is the degree to which a person is susceptible to suggestion. As shown above, 9 out of 10 people are suggestible, but the degree varies. Children, people with weak (morally) personalities, and those without strong beliefs are the most suggestible.
Factors influencing suggestibility include:
- Age: Children and teenagers are more easily influenced.
- Gender: Women are generally more suggestible, possibly due to a more developed emotional hemisphere of the brain.
- Intelligence and knowledge: The higher a person’s intelligence and knowledge, the less likely they are to be influenced.
- Temperament and emotions: The more emotional a person is, the more suggestible they tend to be.
Some factors, like gender, can’t be changed, but others, like intelligence, can be developed to reduce suggestibility.
Forms of Suggestion
Suggestion comes in different forms, depending on the nature of the influence and other factors. Here are the most common forms:
Self-Suggestion
Self-suggestion is when a person influences themselves psychologically. It can be helpful or harmful. For example, self-suggestion can boost confidence or help overcome depression, but it can also lead to apathy if one convinces themselves they don’t care about anything.
There is positive and negative self-suggestion. Negative self-suggestion involves destructive beliefs, often accepted unconsciously, while positive self-suggestion helps overcome complexes and difficulties.
Contrast Suggestion
Contrast suggestion works by highlighting opposites. For example, to discourage negative behavior, positive scenarios are presented as examples. The idea is to show that some things are much better than others, based on the principle of the opposite effect.
For instance, sociologists often say that single-parent families are “bad” by contrasting them with two-parent families. Over time, the idea that two-parent families are better becomes dominant, even though there are happy single-parent families and unhappy two-parent ones. This shows how suggestion can create stereotypes that aren’t always fair.
Authoritative Suggestion
This type of suggestion relies on authority, prestige, status, or experience. A classic example is the relationship between adults and children. Children often adopt behaviors, habits, and beliefs from adults.
Authoritative suggestion can be direct (when a parent teaches a child something) or indirect (when a child imitates a parent’s actions without being explicitly taught).
Mass Suggestion
Mass suggestion is often driven by instinct. If you often wonder, “What will people think?” you’re experiencing mass suggestion. People who care about public opinion tend to follow the crowd, behaving almost as if hypnotized. Mass suggestion is often about dominant social norms, morals, and values.
For example, in a society where two-parent families are valued, single-parent families may be seen as inferior. What’s typical for a few people in a group often becomes typical for others over time. This principle underlies marketing, advertising, public relations, and even propaganda.
Positive and Negative Suggestion
Positive and negative suggestions are linked to positive and negative communication tools. For example, a positive statement like “Tell the truth, because honest people are valued” is positive suggestion. A negative statement like “Don’t lie, because liars are hated” is negative suggestion. The difference is not just in the words used, but in how the idea is presented.
In raising children, positive suggestion helps a child understand why they should or shouldn’t do something and how to behave in different situations. Simply saying “Don’t smoke” is less effective than “Sports are good for you; it’s better to play sports than to smoke.”
Methods and Types of Suggestion
There are verbal and nonverbal methods for influencing a person’s mind and thoughts. Sometimes people are unaware they’re being influenced; other times, it’s obvious. Here are three main types:
Mental Suggestion
This involves influencing someone using only thoughts. It can work both in person and remotely. The key is that there’s no direct, obvious influence; the person doing the suggesting mentally “sends” ideas to another’s subconscious. Professionals sometimes use this method.
A simple mental suggestion technique:
- Focus on the person you want to influence.
- Establish a mental connection.
- Mentally transmit the information.
Whether this method works is debatable, but it’s important to be aware of its existence.
Verbal Suggestion
This is direct suggestion, though it can also be indirect, open, or hidden. Examples:
- Direct verbal suggestion: “It seems we need to do this. You understand, right?”
- Indirect: “It would be good to do this, but I’m not sure. Would you like to do it?”
- Open: The person being influenced can choose from several options.
- Hidden: The suggestion is veiled, such as “I’m not sure if this is good, but those people do it and it works for them.”
Verbal suggestion is often more effective when the influencer is experienced and can create the right emotional atmosphere.
Nonverbal Suggestion
This involves gestures, eye contact, and body language. Visual contact or other nonverbal cues are used in common nonverbal suggestion techniques. Examples include:
- Catalexia: Inducing a relaxed state in someone.
- Levitation: Using imagination to influence someone.
- Pauses: Using a pause or gesture to hint at an idea or guide someone’s thoughts.
How to Make Suggestion More Effective
To achieve positive results with any suggestion method, practice and following certain rules are essential. Here are some universal tips:
- Try to disable the logic and critical thinking of the person being influenced.
- The influencer must believe in what they are suggesting.
- Practice and experience are key to success. Constantly develop your skills in suggestion to achieve better results.
For mental suggestion, practice and belief are crucial. For verbal techniques, experience is vital. For nonverbal suggestion, both the influencer and the subject should be relaxed, and gestures should be well-executed.
Tips for Protecting Yourself from Suggestion
Here are some self-defense strategies:
- Always evaluate everything critically. Critical thinking is essential.
- Remember your own goals and don’t give in if you sense manipulation.
- If you feel someone is trying to influence you and you can’t resist, end the interaction.
- If you notice your thoughts changing, distract yourself from the topic or message and focus on your own memories.
We strongly recommend developing critical thinking. This skill will help you not only resist suggestion but also in many other life situations.
Conclusion
Suggestion is a powerful tool that psychologically influences a person’s consciousness, leading to the acceptance of beliefs, ideas, and attitudes. Suggestion can be positive (such as helping people with mental disorders) or negative (such as propaganda).
Develop critical thinking and always stand by your own position. Don’t give in to suggestion if it’s driven by someone else’s selfish motives.