Coercion

Coercion is the use of threats or force to make someone act against their will. It constrains choice by making refusal carry a serious cost.

Threat: A communicated intention to impose harm or loss if someone does not comply. A threat makes refusal costly without requiring force to be used.
Duress (law): A legal defense or doctrine concerning conduct compelled by an unlawful threat or pressure. Courts assess whether coercion excuses conduct or invalidates an agreement.
Persuasion: Communication intended to change someone’s beliefs, attitudes, or actions through reasons or appeal. Persuasion seeks agreement without making refusal dangerous.
Autonomy: The capacity to govern one’s own choices and actions. Coercion restricts autonomy by making some options unsafe or unavailable.
Duress: A condition in which an unlawful threat or pressure leaves someone with no reasonable choice. Duress describes coercive pressure severe enough to affect legal consent.
Extortion: Obtaining money, property, or action through wrongful threats or coercive pressure. Extortion is a specific offense built around coercive demands.
Manipulation: Influence that steers another person’s choices through deception, concealment, or exploitation. Manipulation can compromise autonomy without relying on overt threats or force.
Undue influence: Improper pressure that overcomes a person’s free judgment in a decision or transaction. It is a related legal concern where pressure exploits a relationship rather than an explicit threat.
Physical force: The application of bodily strength or physical means to move, restrain, or injure someone. Force can compel an act directly, rather than through threatened consequences.
Blackmail: A demand backed by a threat to reveal damaging information or cause another serious harm. Blackmail uses threatened disclosure as leverage for compliance.

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