Master suppression techniques

The master suppression techniques (in Norwegian: hersketeknikker) is a framework articulated in the late 1970s by Norwegian social psychologist Berit Ås. Building upon earlier work using the term hersketeknikker by Ingjald Nissen, Harriet Holter and others, Ås described five techniques for indirectly suppressing and humiliating opponents: making invisible, ridiculing, withholding information, double bind and shaming. Ås developed the framework in a feminist context as a practical tool for women to recognise and resist men's attempts to manipulate them, for example in political debates. The framework is now used more broadly in Scandinavian society, for example in discussions of mental health or workplace bullying.

Master suppression techniques are defined as strategies of social manipulation by which a dominant group maintains such a position in an (established or unexposed) hierarchy. They are very prominent in Scandinavian scholarly and public debate, where the expression is also used to refer to types of social manipulation not part of Ås's framework. Master suppression techniques are sometimes called domination techniques.

The five master suppression techniques according to Ås

Making invisible

Silencing or otherwise marginalizing people in opposition by ignoring them.

Examples:

Ridicule

Portraying the arguments of an opponent, or the opponents themselves, in a ridiculing fashion.

Example:

Withholding information

Excluding a person from the decision-making process, or knowingly not forwarding information so as to make the person less able to make an informed choice.

Examples:

Double bind

Punishing, blaming or otherwise belittling the actions of an opponent, regardless of how they act.

Example:

Heaping blame/putting to shame

Embarrassing someone or insinuating that they themselves are to blame for their position.

Example:

Later additions by Ås

Berit Ås has since added two supplementary master suppression techniques.

Objectifying

Discussing the appearance of one or several persons in a situation where it is irrelevant.

Force/threat of force

Threatening with or using one's physical strength towards one or several persons.

Example:

Countermeasures against master suppression techniques

A group of PhD students at Stockholm University has formulated five counter strategies:[further explanation needed]

They have also formulated five confirmation techniques:[further explanation needed]

The Centre for Gender Equality in Norway has also published an article about how to combat this phenomenon.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ås, Berit. "Hersketeknikker". Kjerringråd. 1978 (3). Oslo: 17–21. ISSN 0800-0565.
  2. ↑ "Fem hersketeknikker vi utsettes for". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 2025-03-12. Retrieved 2025-08-17.
  3. ↑ Sollund, Sigrid (2017-10-12). Hersketeknikker (in Norwegian). Kagge forlag as. ISBN 978-82-489-2106-6.
  4. ↑ Andrén, Maria (2008-03-11). "Så hanterar du skitsnacket". Chef. Ledarna. Retrieved 2009-12-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  5. ↑ "Domination techniques: what they are and how to combat them" (PDF). The Centre for Gender Equality, Norway. April 2001. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  6. ↑ Ås, Berit (2004). "The Five Master Suppression Techniques". In Evengård, Birgitta (ed.). Women In White: The European Outlook. Stockholm: Stockholm City Council. pp. 78–83. ISBN 91-631-5716-0.
  7. ↑ ENSU, Empowerment-Nätverket vid Stockholms Universitet (2004) ”Bekräftartekniker och motstrategier - sätt att bemöta maktstrukturer och förändra sociala klimat.”, 2010-07-01
  8. ↑ Domination techniques: what they are and how to combat them