The purpose of the article. Theoretical analysis of personal mediation of manipuiative tendencies. Methodology. The basis of this study is a theoretical analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization of available scientific literature on the subject. Results. Manipulation of consciousness is one of the ways to dominate and suppress the will of people by acting on them through the programming of their behavior. This action is aimed at the mental structures of man, which is carried out secretly and aims to change the thoughts, motivations and goals of people in the right direction for a certain group of people. In this case, the purpose of manipulation – hiding their true intentions, to encourage another person to take certain actions, change values, ideas and opinions, etc., while maintaining the illusion of independence in general and independence of decisions or actions. In other words, to motivate a person to what he does not want to do, to distract from what he aspires to, but at the same time to create in him the confidence that he is acting of his own free will. Practical implications. The need to study manipulative tendencies is to determine the main ways and methods of manipulation and ways to protect against manipulative action. To reveal the main features of the manipulator’s personality and the category of people who are most prone to manipulative action. Theoretical materials can be used in the training process of the courses “Psychology of personality”, “Age Psychology”, “Differential Psychology”, “Fundamentals psychological correction”. Originality/value. It was found that the criteria for manipulation are: the attitude of the manipulator to the objects of manipulation as a means to achieve their own goal, the desire to gain unilateral advantage, the hidden nature of influence, use of force, motivation, motivation and skill in the process of manipulative influence. Key words: manipulation, coercion, manipulation, subject of manipulation, projection, Machiavellianism, manipulative influence.