psychological warfare
Refers to tactics aimed at influencing the opponent's mind, morale, or decision-making, used in military, sports, business, and interpersonal contexts.
See also: 心理戦争
Provocations before a match are a form of psychological warfare.
Psychological tactics become important in negotiations.
Compound of 心理 (shinri, 'psychology') and 戦 (sen, 'war' or 'battle').