What is manipulative behavior in a relationship?

Emotional manipulation occurs when a manipulative person seeks power over someone else and employs dishonest or exploitive strategies to gain it. Unlike people in healthy relationships, which demonstrate reciprocity and cooperation, an emotional manipulator looks to use, control, or even victimize someone else.

What does a manipulative relationship look like?

Most manipulative individuals have four common characteristics: They know how to detect your weaknesses. Once found, they use your weaknesses against you. Through their shrewd machinations, they convince you to give up something of yourself in order to serve their self-centered interests.