A method includes: controlling actuators of a robot manipulator to compensate for influence of gravity; during a manual guidance of the robot manipulator detecting an orientation of an end effector; and controlling at least part of the actuators in such a way that during manual guidance of the end effector, the end effector: within a first range of a first rotation, opposes no or a speed-dependent resistance and outside the first range opposes a rotation angle-dependent resistance to the manual guidance, wherein the first rotation is a rotation angle of the end effector about its longitudinal axis; and within a second range of the second rotation, opposes no or a speed-dependent resistance to the manual guidance, and outside the second range, opposes a deflection-dependent resistance to the manual guidance, wherein the second rotation is a rotational deflection of the end effector from its original longitudinal axis or a vertical axis.