The key to understanding gaslighting or other emotional manipulation is to learn why it's done. The origins of manipulation can be found in the roots of dark psychology - an unofficial branch of psychology surrounded by misconceptions leading to fear and misunderstanding. However, as you'll learn in this book, exploring dark psychology's depths can provide answers to many questions about manipulation and mind control. Unlike most official branches, dark psychology uses discipline to cause damage to the person or persons being abused.

Despite often being used for social manipulation, dark psychology doesn't allow its users to control people's minds on an absolute level. Its techniques have restraints, and the strength of these restrictions always depends on the target's will. The target can be an individual or a large group of people - and its size and type also affect the manipulation's success. Manipulation through dark psychology can be applied to the social manipulation of the masses in hopes of financial gain, support, and influencing business negotiations. It can also be employed for misleading a conversation with a partner when dating and socializing.