Pattern Decoder

Every tactic

310 manipulation and control tactics in ten groups. Each has its own page in plain words: what it is, what it can sound like, how to tell if it fits, and what you can do.

Not sure what to look for?Answer two short questions in the guide instead.

Guilt, pressure and fear

G 01Emotional Blackmail G 02FOG G 03Guilt-Tripping G 04Duty Scripts G 05“We’re Family” Erasure G 06Concern Trolling G 07Forced Forgiveness G 08Forced Teaming G 09Loyalty Binds G 10Demand for Gratitude G 11Weaponized Generosity G 12Obligation Installation G 13Covert Contracts G 14Favor Debt G 15Guilt Legacy G 16Martyrdom Display G 17Emotional Hostage-Taking G 18Self-Harm Threats as Leverage G 19Catastrophizing as Control G 20Silent Treatment G 21Negative Reinforcement Traps G 22Nonverbal Dominance G 23Intimidation G 24Ambient Sexual Threat G 25Sexual Coercion G 26False Dilemma G 27Sunk Cost Exploitation G 28Foot-in-the-Door G 29Door-in-the-Face G 30Anchoring G 31Urgency Manufacturing G 32Cognitive Overload G 33Extinction Bursts G 34Ultimatums G 35Reverse Psychology G 36Manufactured Scarcity G 37Blackmail / Leverage Exploitation G 38Overcorrection Demands G 39Forced Submission G 40Moral Framing G 41Moral Outrage as Weapon G 42Spatial Invasion G 43Rage as Control G 44“Sacred Duty” Manipulation

Work, school and systems

S 01Process Exhaustion S 02Diffusion of Responsibility S 03Legal/Administrative Threats S 04Confidentiality as Weapon S 05HR Shielding S 06Institutional Betrayal S 07Algorithmic Management S 08Organizational Silence Engineering S 09“Polite Hostile” Environments S 10Performance Framework Manipulation S 11PIP Weaponization S 12Paper-Trail Traps S 13Setting Up to Fail S 14“Managed Out” Through Exhaustion S 15Individualization of Systemic Issues S 16Credit Laundering S 17Credit Theft S 18Idea Theft in Real Time S 19Gatekeeping S 20Tokenism S 21Pseudo-Consultation S 22Weaponized Inclusion / Strategic Containment S 23Performative Allyship / False Solidarity S 24Willful Blindness as Complicity S 25Paper Terrorism S 26Administrative Escalation S 27False Reports S 28Pressure to Sign S 29Clinical Tone Policing S 30False Conclusion from Normal Labs S 31Medical Gaslighting

Twisting what is real

T 01Gaslighting T 02Moving Goalposts T 03Double Binds T 04Contradiction Stacking T 05Repetition as Truth T 06Selective Memory T 07Revisionist History T 08Strategic Ambiguity T 09Platform Migration T 10Countering T 11Normalization T 12Thought-Stopping Clichés T 13Word Salad T 14Circular Arguments T 15Firehose of Falsehood T 16Gish Gallop T 17Frame Control T 18Burden of Proof Shifting T 19Sealioning T 20Dog Whistling / Coded Signaling T 21Half-Truth Framing T 22Lying by Omission T 23Fabricated Evidence T 24Vague Allegations T 25Compartmentalization T 26Strategic Incompleteness T 27Lying T 28Exaggeration T 29Loaded Language T 30Semantic Erosion / Meaning Dilution T 31Meta-Gaslighting T 32Authority Hijack T 33False Authority T 34Credential-Costuming T 35Identity Performances T 36Pseudo-Profundity / Intellectual Intimidation T 37Limited Hangout T 38Edited Recordings T 39Evidence Traps T 40Gotcha Framing T 41Semantic Traps T 42Aftercare Control T 43Bait and Switch

Groups, cults and propaganda

M 01Information Cascades M 02Controlled Opposition M 03Agent of Influence Operations M 04Astroturfing M 05Computational Propaganda M 06AI-Driven Narrative Hijacking M 07Manufactured Consent M 08Normative Messaging M 09Overton Window Manipulation M 10Post-Truth Epistemic Manipulation M 11Cognitive Warfare M 12PSYOP Message Framing M 13Cyber Manipulation Operations (CMOs)M 14Strategic Deception (Denial & Deception / D&D)M 15False Flag Operations M 16Reflexive Control M 17Strategic Leaking M 18Honey Trapping M 19MICE Framework Exploitation M 20Wedge Issue Exploitation M 21Echo Chamber Construction M 22Milieu Control M 23Bounded Choice M 24Demand for Purity M 25Dispensing of Existence M 26Phobia Indoctrination M 27Doctrine Over Person M 28Thought Control M 29Sacred Science M 30Charismatic Authority Dependence M 31Mystical Manipulation M 32Forced Confession / Self-Criticism Rituals M 33Humiliation Rituals M 34Information Laundering