On a day to day basis, we use various techniques for dealing with people and for interacting with them, whether we realize that or not. And with a little bit of help from psychology, we can take this a bit further and literally hack into people’s minds to better understand them and to watch out for red flags.
From finding love to trying to read someone’s body language, all of these prove to be quite useful in various aspects of life. And while many of these are extremely simple, others take deep psychological knowledge into account to manipulate others and bend them to our will.
Okay, okay, it isn’t that nefarious, but once you know these, you will wonder how you got so far through life without them.
1. Make your first date exciting with a new dating partner.
If you want to leave a lasting impression on your new date, then try to avoid taking them out on a boring date and opt for something more exhilarating. In turn, your date will associate you with the excitement instead of merely the place or thing you visited. In their mind- you will be the one who caused the dopamine surge, and they will like you more.
2. Use people’s feet placement to see where their interest lies.
Do you want to know if you truly have someone captivated? Look at their feet. Are they pointed towards you or away from you? If they are pointed toward you, they are interested in what you have to say. If they are elsewhere, then so is their mind.
3. Avoid confrontation escalation.
When you are arguing with someone and want to avoid escalating the intensity, stand next to them instead of in front of them. When you are in front of them, they consider you a threat, but when you are next to them, they will consider you to be of no harm.
4. Ask for a favor the right way.
Don’t start your conversation for a favor by asking for a favor. Instead, ask them for their help, by telling them you need their help. Because of this change of verbal, the person will want to help you out and avoid looking like someone who isn’t a nice person.
5. Nod while talking to someone to encourage positivity.
If you want to get a positive response from someone, nod as you speak to them. Oftentimes, people subconsciously mimic others, so they will nod in return, without even noticing they are. And in turn, they will subconsciously communicate to their brain to agree with you.
6. Chew gum to calm your nerves.
When you are anxious, especially in social situations, chew gum. It will trick your brain into believing that you are calm, and allow you to handle the situation better. This works because the brain thinks its too busy chewing to be nervous.
7. Rub your hands together before shaking hands.
Cold or wet hands send a message about the type of person you are and may make the other person perceive you as emotionally unstable, according to a study. So, to avoid this, rub your hands together to warm them.
8. Stop a song from continuing on repeat in your mind.
Our brain tends to attempt to finish what we start, and this is why songs get stuck in our mind. To stop it, memorize the end of the song.
9. Build trust.
When someone is talking to you, and you want them to like you more, mirror their body language. Scientists call this the chameleon effect, and various experiments show that it increases the likelihood of someone liking you.
10. Remember their name.
To remember someone’s name, repeat it often through the conversation. Do this as soon as you learn their name by using it to greet them.
11. Want someone to agree with you? Try this.
People often focus on our emotions when we tell them about something. So, if you want them to agree- try focusing on your emotions about the subject. For example, laugh while telling a joke, or get angry about something that happened to encourage that response.
12. Use confidence vs. knowledge.
People are more likely to believe us when we confidently tell them something, versus if we have less confidence but all the knowledge in the world. So, during your next job interview, try exuding confidence. And wing it. You may do better than you think.
13. Fake it until you make it.
If you wake up unhappy, start smiling. Oftentimes forcing our face to smile will communicate to our brain that we are happy. In simple terms, we are what we believe we are.
14. Don’t use words that discredit you.
Opt-out of terms like “I think,” or “I might,” and instead use definites when trying to be persuasive. Otherwise, the person you are speaking with is less inclined to be persuaded.
15. Don’t be afraid to touch others.
Touching causes an emotional and physical bond, especially during moments of excitement or joy. If this seems hard, try using the above-mentioned trick about faking it until you make it.