Everyone will have their own methods of exerting control over other people. 

It will be dependent on the naturally powerful aspects they already have, along with the status that they hold in life. These tactics will become part of their personality and will be the way that they are naturally used to reacting to different situations. 

Remember to not let these signals cause paranoia. Doing something once does not mean they’re manipulative. Sometimes we might panic, and this could cause us to feel as though we need to do something quick to try and gain control over a situation. When we react off of our instincts, it can sometimes be because we are not always thinking clearly, so maybe there is the chance that you have done something slightly manipulative in the past. 

You are looking for a pattern of manipulative behavior. It is not just once instance of manipulation that should make you feel as though you need to run from a person who tries to be controlling. What you need to be more cautious of is a pattern of behavior that another person seems to have. If they are, doing these things on a consistent basis, then it means that there is a good chance they will have more manipulative tendencies. The biggest red flag is if this pattern keeps happening and there is no effort from them or even acknowledgment that they should try and change the way that they handle their emotions. 

Sometimes this requires stepping outside the boundaries of how you might judge someone and viewing it from a bird’s eye perspective. It can be hard to see all of the restrictions of manipulation when you are already trapped in the web. Try to picture if you were the person outside of a manipulative relationship. How would you view it compared to how others might?