Undue Influence: Definitions and Applications - California Courts ...

financial gain. Others have focused on specific vulnerabilities, such as the role of subtle,
undetected deficits that appear to heighten vulnerability.
Several experts have proposed broader models or constellations of contributing factors
including victim vulnerabilities, abuser characteristics, tactics used, and outcomes. Psychiatrist
Bennett Blum has developed the “IDEAL” model of undue influence assessments (Blum, 2010).
The model draws from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, and sociology to describe
psychological and social factors that commonly coexist in undue influence. IDEAL is an
acronym for isolation; dependency; emotional manipulation and/or exploitation of a
vulnerability; acquiescence; and loss. Blum further describes the factors as follows:
1. Isolation – This refers to isolation from pertinent information, friends, relatives, and
usual advisors. Causes include medical disorders, a history of poor relationships
with others, perpetrator interference, geographic changes (e.g., travel), and
technological isolation (e.g., loss of telephone services).
2. Dependency – This refers to dependence upon the perpetrator for physical support,
emotional factors, or information.
3. Emotional manipulation – This usually manifests as promises, threats, or a
combination of both regarding issues of safety and security, or companionship and
friendship. Exploitation of a vulnerability may overlap with emotional manipulation
4. Acquiescence – The victim appears to consent or submit, but does so because of
items 1, 2, and 3.
5. Loss – This refers to actual financial loss.
Turkat, an attorney, drew from social influence theories to describe characteristics of the
influencers, victims, and the forms of control he has observed in elder abuse cases. In particular,
he focused on power imbalances between abusers and victims that are derived from character
traits, intelligence, strength, social class, and education. He further suggests that these power
imbalances can be magnified by “vulnerability enhancements,” which include:
• Increasing victims’ dependency by giving them extra medications or depriving them of
nutrients;
• Self-promotion;
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