In psychology, triangulation is a technique used to manipulate someone. It is often employed in abusive relationships, where the abuser will use tactics like denial, rationalization, and projection to make the victim feel crazy. By making the victim doubt their own sanity, the abuser can gain more power and control over them. In this blog post, we will discuss triangulation and its effects on relationships. We will also explore ways to spot it in your own life and how to deal with it if you encounter it. In this blog post, we will know about the different aspects of triangulation.
Contents
What Is Triangulation?
Triangulation is a term used in social science and psychology. It refers to a strategy used by an individual to maintain control in an emotionally close relationship. The term originates from geometry, where a triangle is the strongest shape due to its three sides. In the context of relationships, triangulation occurs when one person creates a distance between themselves and another person by bringing in a third party.
Sometimes there are clear motivations for this, such as when someone is trying to protect themselves from being hurt. Other times, the motives may not be so clear. Triangulation can make it difficult for the person who is being isolated to understand what is happening and why they feel so alone. These may have an impact on their mental and emotional health.
If you think you may be experiencing triangulation in your relationship, it is important to talk to a therapist or counselor who can help you understand what is happening and how to address it.
Types of Triangulation
Triangulation is a term that may have different meanings depending on who you talk to. In general, there are different types of triangulation that occur in relationships:
Emotional Triangulation
Emotional triangulation is when one person creates a distance between themselves and another person by bringing in a third party. This can happen when someone is trying to protect themselves from being hurt. It may also occur when someone is feeling insecure in the relationship and wants to create a sense of jealousy. Sometimes there are clear motivations for emotional triangulation, but often the motives are not so clear.
Physical Triangulation
Physical triangulation is when one person creates a distance between themselves and another person by bringing in a third party. This can happen when someone is trying to protect themselves from being hurt. It may also occur when someone feels uncomfortable or unsafe around the other person. Again, there can be clear motivations for physical triangulation, but often the motives are not so clear. It may also be used as a form of control.
Proxy Triangulation
Proxy triangulation is when a person gives someone else permission to speak on their behalf. This can happen when someone is not comfortable communicating directly with the other person, or when they want to avoid a confrontation. It can also be used as a way of manipulating the other person into doing what you want.
It can also be used to create a sense of jealousy or insecurity.
Cognitive Triangulation
Cognitive triangulation is when one person creates a distance between themselves and another person by bringing in a third party. This can happen when someone is trying to protect themselves from being hurt. It may also occur when someone feels insecure in the relationship and wants to create a sense of jealousy. Sometimes there are clear motivations for cognitive triangulation, but often the motives are not so clear.
Verbal Triangulation
Verbal triangulation is when one person creates a distance between themselves and another person by bringing in a third party. This can happen when someone wants to control the conversation or manipulate the other person into doing something. It can also be a way to avoid answering difficult questions. Sometimes there can be clear motivations for verbal triangulation, but often the motives are not so clear.
Different Impacts of Triangulation
There are many impacts of triangulation that can be felt by all parties involved. The most common impacts are:
Relationships
Its impacts on relationships can be very damaging. It creates an air of distrust and can lead to the destruction of previously close relationships.
When triangulation is used in a manipulative way, it often leaves the person who is being manipulated feeling confused and alone. This can cause them to doubt their own judgment and make them more likely to do what the manipulator wants. It can also lead to a feeling of betrayal if the person being manipulated finds out about the third party. There may be feelings of envy and resentment if the third party is someone that the person being manipulated wants to be close to.
Workplace
In the workplace, triangulation can lead to a breakdown in communication and trust. It can also be damaging to team morale.
If there is a power imbalance in the relationship, triangulation can be used as a way to control or manipulate others. This can lead to an unhealthy work environment and may even result in legal action being taken against the company. It can also lead to employees leaving their jobs.
Personality
Triangulation can also have an impact on personality. It can make people more paranoid and suspicious of others. It can also lead to them becoming more withdrawn and less likely to trust people.
In personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, triangulation is often used as a way to avoid intimacy. This can make it difficult for people with these disorders to form healthy relationships. There may also be a tendency to engage in manipulative behavior.
Uses of Triangulation
There are many uses of triangulation in psychology. Some of these are:
Therapy
Triangulation is used in therapy as a tool to help the therapist and client understand different aspects of the client’s experience. It can be used to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. There can be a triangulation of past, present, and future experiences, as well as a triangulation of different aspects of the self. There may also be a triangulation of the therapist, client, and other people in the client’s life.
Research
This is also used in research to help researchers understand different aspects of behavior. It can be used to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. There can be a triangulation of past, present, and future experiences, as well as a triangulation of different aspects of the self. It may also be a triangulation of different people in the research study.
Teaching
Triangulation can also be used in teaching to help students understand different aspects of the material. It can be used to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. There can be a triangulation of past, present, and future experiences, as well as a triangulation of different aspects of the self. It may also be a triangulation of the teacher, student, and other people in the class. It can be used to explore different points of view and to help students understand how they are viewing the material.
Benefits of Triangulation
There are many benefits of triangulation in psychology. Some of these are:
Helps To Clarify The Situation
When two people are discussing a situation, it can often be difficult to get a clear understanding of what is happening. By bringing in a third person, triangulation can help to clarify the situation and provide more insight. This can be especially helpful when trying to resolve a conflict or misunderstanding. It also allows for different perspectives to be considered which can lead to a better understanding of the situation.
Enables Objectivity
It can be difficult to be objective when you are personally involved in a situation. However, involving a third person can help to promote objectivity. This is because the third person is not as emotionally invested in the situation and can provide a more unbiased perspective. This can be invaluable when trying to make decisions about a sensitive issue.
Increases Accuracy
When two people are discussing something, there is always the potential for miscommunication. This is because people can have different interpretations of what was said or intended. By involving a third person, it can help to accuracy and ensure that everyone is
Helps To Reduce Conflict
Triangulation can also help reduce conflict by providing another perspective on the situation. When all parties involved have access to the same information, it can help to avoid misunderstandings and encourage productive dialogue.
Increases Understanding And Cooperation
By providing another perspective, triangulation can also increase understanding and cooperation between people. This can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving as well as improved communication overall. It may also help to resolve conflicts more effectively.
Limitations of Triangulation
There are many limitations of triangulation in psychology such as:
Time Consuming
Time-consuming can be both a pro and con of triangulation. It can be a pro because it allows for more information to be gathered, but it can also be a con because it takes longer to gather all the information.
Trust Issues
There are some trust issues that can come up when using this in psychology. This is because the participants have to trust that the other people in the study are giving accurate information. These may be hard to overcome if the participants do not know each other. It may be difficult to ensure that all the participants are giving honest information if they do not know each other.
Confusion
When it is used in psychology, it can sometimes lead to confusion among the participants about what their role is and what they should be doing. This can be especially true if there is more than one investigator involved in the study. It may be difficult for the participants to know who they should be talking to and what information they should be providing.
Conclusion
Triangulating is a powerful psychological manipulation tactic that is often used to control and dominate others. It can be used in a variety of ways, but the most common is to create an artificial sense of competition or conflict between two people or groups. This can lead to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and fear in those who are being manipulated. Triangulating can have a negative impact on relationships and cause lasting damage. If you think you are being manipulated in this way, it is important to reach out for help from a trusted friend or professional.
There are many other types of manipulation tactics that psychologists have identified. If you think you are being manipulated, it is important to reach out for help from a trusted friend or professional. Remember, you are not alone and there is help available.
A Word From Therapy Mantra
Your mental health — your psychological, emotional, and social well-being — has an impact on every aspect of your life. Positive mental health essentially allows you to effectively deal with life’s everyday challenges.
At Mantra Care, we have a team of therapists who provide affordable online therapy to assist you with issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship, OCD, LGBTQ, and PTSD. You can take our mental health test. You can also book a free therapy or download our free Android or iOS app.
