Ever wanted to be better at reading people? Some of us are pretty good at reading the signs that people give off, while others are so bad that they need the other person to come out and straight-up tell them what’s on their mind.
Reading people isn’t easy but if you can do it, it’s a fantastic skill to have. The more you can read someone, the easier it is to deal with them and manage them. For anyone in a leadership position, it’s an essential skill to have. The more you know what’s inside someones head, the bigger of an advantage you have. But what signs do you need to be on the lookout for? Let’s take a look at 10 human psychology tricks on how to read people like a book.
Look for a Baseline
To read people like a book, you need to first create a baseline of their quirks. We all have little things we do when we feel a certain way. For example, a person might cough when they feel nervous, others might scratch their chin when they’re angry, while some might tap their fingers when they’re in happy. When you know someone’s baseline repertoire of quirks that they always fall back on, you can then look for inconsistencies that don’t add up. For example, let’s say you know your partner coughs when they’re nervous. They’ve just come home from work, they’re not saying much and they’re coughing. What are they nervous about?
Look at their Eyes
When you talk to people, look them in the eyes. If they can’t bring themselves to look back at you, it’s a sign that they’re either nervous or they’ve got something to hide. On the other hand, if a person literally can’t take their eyes off you, it could even mean there’s a romantic interest here.
Consider Peoples’ Word Choices
Do you really think that humans are so calculated to choose words in their sentences that reveal how they’re really feeling? Absolutely we are. When we speak, we choose our words deliberately. We might not realise it at the time, but the words we’re choosing give away a lot about us and how we’re feeling. If someone is good at reading people, they’d catch us out right away. For example, if someone says to you: “yeah, I scored another goal today,” it’s a whole lot different from them saying: “I scored a goal today.” They want you to know that they’ve scored a few goals recently. Our word choices tells people a lot about our intentions, feelings and who we are as a person.
How To Spot a Fake Smile
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could spot a fake smile? Well, now you can. We’ve all been in situations where we’re not sure if the other person digs us, or if they’re just pretending to like us. They might be smiling but it doesn’t really mean much because the smile could be faked. Look at their eyes. If their eyes are crinkling, the smile is real. If their eyes aren’t crinkling, it could mean that this person isn’t being genuine with their feelings. Not cool!
Raised Eyebrows?
One of the easiest ways to see how comfortable a person is – is to take a look at their eyebrows. If their brows are raised, it’s a massive sign that they’re feeling pretty uncomfortable here.
Remember That Context Matters
Context matters in so much of what we do in life. What a gesture or sentence means can be decoded simply by referring to the context. For example, we’ve all had someone squeeze our hand. But when someone squeezes our hand, it doesn’t mean that the intention is always the same. It depends on the context. If someone squeezes our hand during a business pitch, it probably means they’re excited and that things are going well. If someone (our partner) squeezes our hand in bed, it’s either a sign of affection or a clue that they want to kiss us. It’s the same with words. Always refer to the context.
Crossed Arms and Legs Means Someone’s Resistant
Ever sat with someone who’s crossed their arms and legs while you talk? If you’re on a first date, or if you’re trying to pitch someone a new idea, it’s not a good sign. Why? Because when we cross our arms and legs we’re saying to the other person that we’re not really interested in what they have to say or, at the very least, we’re not on board with it yet. Psychologically, crossed legs and arms mean we’re resisting something or someone. We’re performing a block and, while we may not be doing it intentionally, the fact that we have crossed our legs and arms is very revealing.
What It Means When Someone Copies Your Body Language
Ever noticed someone copy your body language before? If you’ve never tried to read people until this point, this is something you probably haven’t noticed yet. But pay close attention to it in the future, because when someone mimics our body language, it means they feel so good about us that they want to harmonise with us. This is done unconsciously, of course. No one walks around with the intentions of outright copying someone. But when we’re comfortable with people, we have a tendency to do what they do. We might fold our arms when they fold theirs, walk at their exact pace or stroke our hair when they stroke theirs.
When Someone Nods A Lot
It might seem like an innocent thing for someone to nod along excessively, but it usually means that they’re desperately/nervously seeking approval.
What Posture Can Tell You About Confidence
If someone strides into a room with their back straight, it’s clear that this is a confident person who is going to own the room. On the other hand, when a person walks timidly into a room slightly crouched, it’s a surefire sign that they’re unsure of themselves and are probably wishing they weren’t really here! Confident people also take up lots of space; they’ll puff their chests out and make expansive gestures with their hands and ams.
We hope you learned something interesting and useful. If you have other thoughts on human psychology and how to read people like a book, feel free to share them in the comment section below.
Stay happy!
Source: Beauty and Tips
