Sometimes we get mixed signals. Maybe our
intuition, our perception or past experiences
make us not the best at reading people.
Thankfully, all is not lost.
We can get better at reading people. But how?
Number one: our gut instincts.
Majority of people don't trust their gut feelings.
We usually trust our brains and believe what our brain
tells us to believe. But a study
from the University of California shows that people only
recognize lies 43% of the time
and truths 48% of the time when trusting their brains.
When trusting their guts the accuracy rate
was way higher. Trust your gut
because first impressions are often accurate.
Number two: speech and behavioral mimicry.
Some people, the first time you meet them,
put up a false persona or try to manipulate your perception of them.
The people who are actually being honest and genuine though,
will mimic your words and actions.
This shows they're in sync with you and how you're feeling.
Number three: empathy.
Some people have a natural talent in empathizing with others while
some don't. To be able to increase your empathy
you need good reading and understanding skills.
American psychologist Carl Rodgers thinks
empathy is important in his teachings and therapeutic methods.
Empathy will help you see things from someone else's
perspective and thus will allow you to read
their emotions and intentions better.
Number four is appearance.
Making judgements on appearance might feel shallow but it can say
a few things. We're like Sherlock Holmes.
Hey! That dude is wearing prime conditions Jordans!
Maybe he likes basketball, rap or at least sneaker
culture? People's appearances can give you subtle hints
into their character. Do they wear lots of colors?
Are they very well dressed or very sloppy?
These can hint that they're organized and diligent
or lazy and a slob.
Number five. Similar two number two
body language is a major giveaway to someone's emotions.
If someone's sad they might suddenly have their head down with
drooped shoulders. Are they anxious, sweating,
pacing? Are they checking their phone?
Maybe they're not into the conversation? Are their
smiles just small grins?
Pay attention and look deep into a person!
Number six: facial expressions.
This aspect of body language can be hard to interpret.
Sometimes each side of the face can give off two
two different emotions. Some are obvious.
Upturned mouths and crows feet often mean happiness
and smiles. Some emotions are a combination of
different signs, like embarassment.
Some people, when they're embarassed, smile. However,
the lips are tighter than a happy smile.
Lips might also be pulled tight when compassion is felt
as opposed to sadness, when the lips are pulled down.
While it's confusing, it's important to learn these subtle
cues for a significant advantage in reading people.
Number seven is objectivity.
With all these tips it can lead to some bias. To
successfully read someone, enter the situation objectively.
Leave your past feelings of that person behind.
Focus on what they're saying and how they're
behaving in that moment. Our feelings can
create a false impression of what they're conveying,
especially negative feelings.
And number eight is patience.
In order to read someone it takes practice.
People are complex. If you're in a
conversation with them, they're likely also picking up
on your cues as well. You can't be an immediate expert
on someone or automatically assume everything about the other
person. If the comunication continues, they
will open up at their own pace, and that's when you can figure out
if you read them correctly or not. That's all
from us at Psych2Go. Thank you for watching!
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