Summary

When we are dealing with specific issues that are in a particular field, our brain creates mental schemas to process the information around us in order to understand both the situation and the people we are surrounding ourselves with. A common mistake is not to take into consideration that we are social beings rather than politicians, for example, and those who know human behaviour in society have power over others if they wish to do so. Emotions play a very important role in this process of manipulation, as they are used to generate automatic and conditioned responses in people. For example, fear can be used to drive people to act in certain ways or to justify authoritarian measures.

It is essential to develop a critical spirit and social awareness in order to be able to identify and resist attempts at manipulation. This involves questioning the information we receive, seeking different perspectives, analysing the interests and intentions behind messages, and being willing to change our minds when the facts and arguments justify it.