How to Coach Yourself and Others Beware of Manipulation | Page 27
Manipulators generally take the time to scope out the characteristics and vulnerabilities of their
victim.
According to Kantor:
too immature: has impaired judgment and believes the exaggerated advertising claims.
Too naïve: cannot believe there are dishonest people in the world, taking for granted that if
there were they would not be allowed to operate.
too impressionable: overly seduced by charmers. For example, they might vote for the
seemingly charming politician who kisses babies.
Too trusting: people who are honest often assume that everyone else is honest. They are more
likely to commit themselves to people they hardly know without checking credentials, etc., and
less likely to question so-called experts.
too lonely: lonely people may accept any offer of human contact. A psychopathic stranger may
offer human companionship for a price.
too narcissistic: narcissists are prone to falling for unmerited flattery.
too impulsive: make snap decisions about, for example, what to buy or whom to marry without
consulting others.
too altruistic: the opposite of psychopathic: too honest, too fair, too empathetic.
Too frugal: cannot say no to a bargain even if they know the reason it is so cheap.
Too materialistic: easy prey for loan sharks or get-rich-quick schemes.
too greedy: the greedy and dishonest may fall prey to a psychopath who can easily entice them
to act in an immoral way.
Too masochistic: lack self-respect and so unconsciously let psychopaths take advantage of
them. They think they deserve it out of a sense of guilt.
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too dependent: dependent people need to be loved and are therefore gullible and liable to say
yes to something to which they should say no.
The elderly: the elderly can become fatigued and less capable of multi-tasking. When hearing a
sales pitch they are less likely to consider that it could be a con. They are prone to giving
money to someone with a hard-luck story.