SUMMARY
The terminology analysis of the concepts of «manipulation», «manipulation» is carried out, the purpose of manipulation as a technology of influence on the political process is determined, as well as an attempt to reveal the objective preconditions for the emergence of the phenomenon of manipulation in modern politics. It was discovered that manipulation is the programming of human behavior with the help of spiritual and psychological influence on them. This influence is aimed at the mental structure of a person, carried out hidden and has the task of changing the thoughts and goals of people in the direction required by the authorities or a certain political leader. Manipulation is described as an important factor in the modern political process. The main stages of the preparation and implementation of manipulation are analyzed and the main functions that perform manipulation as a specific form of political influence are defined. It was noted that political consciousness is an indirect reflection of the political life of society, the essence of which is the problem of power, the formation, development and satisfaction of the interests and needs of political actors. The conceptual approaches to understanding the essence of the problem of political manipulation are highlighted. It is emphasized that studying and using mechanisms of manipulation opens opportunities for influencing a large number of people and allows them to achieve their goal. The most common methods of political manipulation by the consciousness of voters are analyzed. The analysis of the place and role of manipulative technologies in the context of political electoral technologies is analyzed. The methods of the influence of political manipulation on the public support of the adoption of political and managerial decisions and the conditions and mechanisms of manipulation of consciousness in the political process are explored. Established factors that create conditions for the existence of political manipulation. The ways and methods of studying and taking into account public opinion, limitations of influence of political manipulation are determined. The types of processes of manipulation of mass consciousness are analyzed. To their number include: myth-making; the formation of a «picture of the world» in the mass consciousness; formation of ideology; development of technologies for information warfare; use of systems of remote distortion and destruction of information, influence through multimedia sites; development of processes of psychological warfare; manipulation with the use of psycho technologies; semantic manipulation and use of rumors. Different forms, methods and types of manipulation through the mass media are analyzed – press conference, conference, presentation, press tour, publications in mass media (interesting articles, case studies, review articles, interviews), dissemination of rumors, influence television and radio, Internet.