The mind is a minefield. And it is vulnerable to others. So we must be talented at being the tricker and not the trickee. It may not be the ethical or moral thing to do but that doesn't mean it isn't a little funny or necessary. When we know we are right and have to make things right, then we must do what we must do.
Redditor u/secretfudgerecipe_ wanted to know what mind games people are adept at by wondering.... What's a psychology trick you use on others?
With the Eyes...
If someone is being disrespectful to me, and I can tell they're only doing it bc they don't think I'll lose my cool, I just stare at their forehead while they're talking to me and keep my replies short to make them feel intimidated. killerpb-j
Better to stare into their eyes without focus, it feels more intense to them than normal eye contact and they usually can't quite put their finger on why unless they're really observant. ThommasKurbyson
I WIn.
Giphy
When someone's being rude/impolite, I'm super nice to them. They will either become nicer themselves or very annoyed with me. I win either way. PurrsNpies
Walk the Walk.
You can get people to believe quite a bit if you say it confidently enough. Brinkah
I was going to say Walk with Confidence but wasn't sure if it applied. You can go so many places if you act like you're supposed to be there. overconfidentquartz
Hold Firm.
When somebody interrupts you, look them dead in the eye, and keep looking at them all the time. Neopysiak
This isn't just for eye contact or interruptions, any time a person does/says something to you that you didn't like, make sure you tell/show them that you're displeased, in any way necessary.
People will respect you a lot more it you have boundaries, and more importantly, you'll respect yourself for not being a pushover. night-laughs
In the Shins.
Giphy
If you're standing in the middle of a group and you have some thing to say take a step in. pareto-optimal
When I was at school we had a game where you would slowly try to surround a member of your group in the circle during conversation. Then someone would shout "In the middle," and everyone would kick the surrounded victim in the shins.
14 year old boys are idiots haha. NethereseWyvern
A Touch.
I'm a waitress, and if I sense that someone at my table is going to be rude/mean to me based on our first interaction, I'll go out of my way to say something really kind and pair it with a tiny shoulder/arm touch. It tends to work. erikarew
I'm not down with the touching, though I'm sure it works. But most of those people seem to be extremely entitled, so yeah, If you make them feel super special it usually flips their attitude entirely. I worked as a server for 5+ years and it is so much about hospitality and humility. dont_say_choozday
Being You....
Being a good, radically honest and trustworthy person. People tend to love you. Ozymandias47
It really works. It works even better if you add some situational awareness.
- Not everything needs to be said.
- Suggest improvements instead of pointing out problems.
- Don't get in the middle of other people's interpersonal issues. Offer advice and sympathy, sure. Just don't let yourself be used to continue a fight. kayodelycaon
Share with Smiles....
Only share positive things about your life and you'll lose conversation with a lot of people. Most people only want to hear negatives things or feel involved with drama. Debbiero70
Yeah, people get really weirded out when they tell me about some personal achievement and I cheer them on or get excited about it. I don't get it. Am I suppose to be jealous? dont_say_choozday
Oh Sweetie....
Giphy
If I want someone to like me I give them a sweet or chocolate whenever I see them. I do this until the reaction of excitement and happiness of getting a sweet is associated with me. Then I stop giving them sweets and the reaction is prompted by just seeing me. Learned that in psychology. AofAsgard
"What street did you grow up on?"
Verbal sedation.
Friend is having a panic attack. They aren't breathing steady and in a thought spiral. You ask them easy to and true questions that are easy to remember.
"What street did you grow up on?" "What was the color of your house you grew up in? And similar questions that have easy to recall answers that are just a few words for the answer. Jessica Jones did a great job demonstrating this when she would name off all the streets that were on her home town near her house. Tedbastion
Eyes Locked.
Giphy
If you're moving through a crowd with a lot of people moving the opposite direction (say a crowded sidewalk), keep your eyes up and locked on your general destination. People will subconsciously adjust to give you space. I don't mean just plow into folks, they'll shift on their own. Reverse_Waterfall
Greetings....
Mimic the way they greet you. Over time put your own spin on the greeting. Eventually they'll usually follow suit. Works wonders for making people like you. chillpill9623
"Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep that in mind."
I completely dissociate when being chewed out so they think they have said their piece, but really it's just an hour of invader zim in my head instead. bluntiograph
I do the same and follow it up with, "Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep that in mind." I keep repeating that phrase while they go off on me. I started doing this a few years ago with a supervisor who was a real bully. It drove her crazy because I remained professional but clearly didn't give a crap about what she was saying. It's the little things! onebeaner
Group Efforts.
Want to find out who someone likes most in a group? Keep an eye on who they look at when laughing. Moostcho
It's a measure of feeling connected with someone, more than specifically crushing on them. After hearing this some time ago I started paying attention to who I look at when laughing.
Often it's someone I just had a good conversation with. Or someone who's new to the group and I'm curious about how they're reacting to the joke. If I'm with family, it's usually my dad that I look at because I get along best with him. scrumplic
Grab.
Giphy
There's no real use for this but it's just funny, and it actually works, try handing something to a person when you're talking and looking at them, most of the time they'll just grab it for no reason haha. _LFKrebs_
You literally only have to say hi.
Say hello and greet them by name in the morning.
It's like the cheat code for working in an office. You literally only have to say hi. Just look busy, like you have something to do. People will both think you are productive and busy and also a nice person. That will pay off in spades in the future.
Also, make sure you ACTUALLY ARE a productive worker. Suuperdad
All Good.
Talk good stuff about friends behind their back. muhtasim7
Hush.
Staying silent and giving short answers can get you out of a lot of crap. I deal with millions of dollars worth of equipment and if something goes wrong, it turns into an interrogation with the client.
Best thing you can do is shut your mouth. Don't give descriptive answers because that opens doors to other questions. If you give short answers, people might end up talking themselves in a circle. Ultimately answering their own question and giving you ammo to use against them. This has got me out of a couple tense situations where a lot of finger pointing occurs. DrGiggleFr1tz
The Intros....
Stand up while talking if you want to wrap up a dragging conversation. The other person(s) will do the same unconsciously and you'll be able to bid your farewells and part ways. Useful for introverts like me. dizzypretzel
I know too many people who will keep talking to me even as I walk away from them. MyTurtleRanAway716
Moore's Law.
Giphy
When I want to find out a piece of information, instead of asking I will just make my best guess. If I am wrong people will gladly correct me, where if I ask they get annoyed at me asking. This is a well-known psychological trick known as Moore's Law. XM202AFRO
