On Gaslighting

Outline

On Gaslighting (2024) examines a form of manipulation in which someone tries to make another person doubt their own perceptions, memories, and judgement. Kate Abramson explains how gaslighting works in personal relationships, workplaces, and institutions, and why it is a serious moral wrong. The book helps readers recognise the signs, understand the harm, and protect their confidence in their own thinking.

• Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that tries to make you doubt your own perceptions, memories, and judgement.
• It happens in personal relationships, in workplaces, and inside institutions, not only between two people at home.
• Kate Abramson argues that gaslighting is a serious moral wrong, not just an unpleasant way of behaving.
• Learning to spot the signs is the first step toward understanding the harm it does.
• Protecting your confidence in your own thinking is central to recovering clarity and trust in your judgement.

Kate Abramson is an American philosopher and professor at Indiana University who specialises in moral philosophy and the history of ethics. Her research explores topics such as manipulation, moral emotions, and respect for persons. On Gaslighting brings her academic work to a general audience.