PsychologyAugust 23, 2026

gaslighting

GAS-light-ing

Definition

A form of psychological manipulation in which a person persistently sows seeds of doubt in another individual, making them question their own perceptions, memories, or sanity.

Etymology

The term is derived from the 1938 play Gas Light, in which a husband manipulates his wife into believing she is going insane by dimming the house's gas-powered lights and denying that they have changed.

In the news

The article uses the term to illustrate how casual, incorrect usage of clinical psychological labels in everyday conversation has become commonplace on social media.

The pitfalls of armchair psychology

Read the full article ↗

The Daily Star

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