Social Engineering Manipulation Models

Abstract

Social engineering refers to deceptive attempts to influence human behavior to gain unauthorized access to information, systems, or resources. Rather than relying purely on technical exploitation, social engineering manipulates cognitive biases, trust heuristics, and emotional triggers. This paper examines the psychological mechanisms underlying social engineering and critiques theoretical models explaining how individuals are persuaded, misled, or coerced. A new framework—Psychological Vulnerability Exploitation Cycle (PVEC)—is proposed to organize cognitive, emotional, contextual, and environmental factors that increase susceptibility. Rather than describing manipulation tactics, this work emphasizes defensive strategies, workforce education, ethical design, and policy interventions