What is triangulation in a marriage?

Triangulation refers to a specific behavior that can come up within a two-person conflict. This tactic can show up in nearly any type of relationship — between friends, family members, romantic partners, or even coworkers.

What is triangulation behavior?

Triangulation, a form of manipulation, describes a person's use of threats of exclusion or manipulation. The goal is to divide and conquer. It involves the use of indirect communication, often behind someone's back. In the list of toxic behaviors, triangulation may be the most well-known.

How does triangulation work in relationships?

Triangulation is a manipulation tactic where one person will not communicate directly with another person, instead using a third person to relay communication to the second, thus forming a triangle.

How do I stop triangulation in my marriage?

Create an equal partnership: Engage with your partner as an equal rather than a superior or inferior. Practice healthy, compassionate, and direct communication: Resist the urge to vent to a third person in the case of relationship conflict. Speak to your partner directly or seek professional help/ couples therapy.

What is triangulation in family relationships?

Triangulation or triangling is defined in the AAMFT Family Therapy Glossary as the “process that occurs when a third person is introduced into a dyadic relationship to balance either excessive intimacy, conflict, or distance and provide stability in the system” (Evert et al.

Are You Being Triangulated? (A Common Manipulation Technique in Relationships) - Teal Swan

What are the 4 types of triangulation?

Among experts in triangulation in the social sciences, there contin- ues to be a general consensus on the usefulness of the four types of triangulation originally identified by Denzin in the 1970s: (1) data triangulation; (2) investigator triangulation; (3) theory triangulation; and (4) methodological or method ...

What is narcissistic triangulation?

People with narcissistic personality disorder or narcissistic tendencies might also use triangulation, usually to maintain control over situations by manipulating others. With narcissistic triangulation, one-on-one conversations or disagreements might quickly become two-against-one situations.

Why triangulation is toxic?

It's all about controlling the flow of information and showing others that they're the one who is in charge. This is very toxic due to it being an entirely selfish action. When someone is actively manipulating others with triangulation techniques, they're doing so with a purpose.

Why do people triangulate relationships?

The goal of triangulation is to divide people within the argument and to tip the scales of the argument. Often this is done with indirect communication, with the third person being the go-between of the two people who are initially disagreeing. People often use triangulation to: Distract from the real issue or argument.

How do you react to triangulation?

Why do narcissist try to triangulate?

Why do people with NPD use triangulation? People who have narcissistic personality disorder frequently use triangulation to enhance their feelings of superiority, raise their self-esteem, devalue other people, and keep potential competitors off-balance.

Why do narcissists triangulate you with an ex?

Narcissists enjoy using triangulation as a mind game that enables them to gain a sense of power and control over multiple people simultaneously. It confirms to them their own grandiosity – after all, aren't they superior if they have all these people competing for their approval and validation?

What is a triangular relationship?

“Triangular” relationships consist of two friends, one of which has introduced a romantic partner into their life, causing a feeling of alienation for the “abandoned” friend.

How do you stop family triangulation?

Open, honest, and direct communication between family members is the most efficient antidote to dysfunction in families. If a triangle is still needed for the dyad to stabilize, encourage the two people to seek a professional mediator, counselor, or therapist.

Why do sociopaths triangulate?

People who triangulate see people as objects that are only meant to be reflections or extensions of themselves, to serve them when they need to protect their ego. Triangulation is a common tactic used by people with strong narcissistic tendencies and other dark personality traits.

What is triangulation BPD?

People with BPD can sometimes use triangulation when splitting because they lack other, more effective communication skills. DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) contains a module called Interpersonal Effective and can help dramatically reduce this phenomenon.

How do you make a narcissist miserable?

What happens when a narcissist knows you figured them out?

When a narcissist is exposed or when the narcissist knows you have figured him out, they will never admit the truth even if it is staring them in the face. A narcissist will lay several false accusations and try to make him right. They will say things you didn't utter and misinterpret all your intentions.

Is triangulation emotional abuse?

Triangulation is considered a form of emotional abuse that can occur in any relationship. Your covert narcissistic partner may pull in a third person into your toxic relationship to create conflicts between the two of you so they can manipulate and take advantage of you.

How narcissists treat their exes?

By remaining friends with their exes, narcissists get to keep all of their former partners on a carousel of convenience: they can create a harem of people to use for sex, money, praise, attention or whatever else they desire, at any time.

Are narcissists jealous and possessive?

“The common characteristic of all kinds of narcissistic love is mania, characterized by possessiveness, obsession, and jealousy,” Dinić told PsyPost.

What is hoovering in a relationship?

Coined after the Hoover vacuum, hoovering is a calculating scheme commonly used by narcissists to "suck" you up into their orbit and get you back into their life. It's an energetically draining dynamic that perpetuates a toxic pattern of idealization, devaluation, and discardment.

How do you investigate triangulation?

Investigator Triangulation

In order to triangulate, each different evaluator would study the program using the same qualitative method (interview, observation, case study, or focus groups). The findings from each evaluator would be compared.

What is triangulation and why is it important?

Triangulation is a technique to analyze results of the same study using different methods of data collection. It is used for three main purposes: to enhance validity, to create a more in-depth picture of a research problem, and to interrogate different ways of understanding a research problem.