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How To Read Anyone Instantly - 17 Psychological Tips

Learn the secrets of human behavior and personality with these simple yet effective techniques.

By Ndeloh Desmond Published 7 months ago 7 min read
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How To Read Anyone Instantly - 17 Psychological Tips
Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

When we meet someone for the very first time, we are overwhelmed with information. It might be hard to figure out what type of person they are. That’s why it’s crucial to learn HOW we communicate. According to experts, 55% of what we express comes from body language, 38% from the tone of voice, and just 7% from what we say.

This implies that when we meet someone for the very first time, we have to take into consideration these three variables - in addition to what a person’s looks may convey. So, if you want to get insight into someone’s personality when you first meet them, pay heed to the following signals - beginning from the first downwards!

1 - Eye Contact: They frequently say that the eyes are the window to the soul. The key to determining whatever form of eye contact someone is giving you is to analyze the context. For example, if a person physically can’t take their eyes off you, it might suggest there’s a love desire. On the other side, when you look someone in the eye, and they can’t bring themselves to look back at you, it’s an indication that they’re either frightened, or they’ve got something to conceal. That said, if you’re conversing with someone whose look is making you squirm - particularly if they’re extremely motionless and not blinking - something is up, and they may be lying to you.

2 - Eyebrows: If you want to know how comfortable a person is, have a peek at their eyebrows! Three basic emotions cause your eyebrows to go up: surprise, concern, and terror. Try lifting your eyebrows while you’re having a calm informal discussion with a buddy. It’s hard to do, isn’t it? If someone chatting to you raises their eyebrows, and the subject would not normally generate surprise, anxiety, or terror, it’s a clue that they’re feeling quite uncomfortable.

3 - Smile: When it comes to smiling, the lips can deceive, but the eyes can’t. Genuine grins reach the eyes, crinkling the skin to produce crow’s feet around them. People frequently smile to cover what they’re thinking and feeling, so the next time you want to know whether somebody’s grin is genuine, check for crinkles at the corners of their eyes. If they aren’t there, that grin is concealing something!

4 - What They Say: If you’re meeting someone for the first time, and all they do is rave about their great better half or laud their work colleagues, chances are, they’re a good person themselves. Studies demonstrate, that the more individuals perceive others as being kind, courteous, loving, and well-mannered, the more likely they are to also exhibit similar attributes. However, the contrary is also true.

Anyone backstabbing and labeling others as manipulative and unpleasant is more likely to have similar tendencies themselves. It’s also conceivable that they have a history of depression or personality problems.

5 - Paralanguage: Paralanguage is nonverbal communication such as your tone, pitch, or style of speaking. It’s a fancy way of stating that you need to pay attention to how someone says things. For example, if someone is responding to you in a monotone, they’re most likely detached from your notion and not engaged.

The use of sarcasm is another excellent example. When someone utilizes sarcasm, what the individual means is essentially the reverse of what the words imply. So, pay attention to the emphasis they place on words and how they express it. It provides you with a major indicator as to what their genuine objectives are.

6 - Side Glance: People who are friendly and open to meeting you, will have their body facing you and they will look you in the eye. On the opposite hand, if you’ve just met someone and they instantly gaze away to the side, this is a subconscious body language cue that implies they are seeking an escape.

7 - Frequent Nodding: Nodding is typically an indication that someone agrees with you. But, excessive nodding may show concern, regarding approbation. When you’re telling someone anything, and they nod excessively, this suggests that they are anxious about what you think of them, or that you mistrust their capacity to follow your directions.

On the other side, frequent nodding might also be unconscious movements that are signs for the other person to get a move on - much as when a person repeatedly looks at their watch or touches their vehicle keys.

8 - Chin And Jaw: When someone is attempting to make a choice, they tend to touch their chin. They can be gazing up, down, or to the side... It’s a solid indicator that they are deep in thinking. A clenched jaw is an indication of tension. Regardless of what the speaker is saying, this implies a substantial amount of discomfort.

The talk may be moving toward something they’re nervous about, or their attention may be elsewhere, and they’re focused on the issue that’s worrying them out.

9 - Posture: How someone carries oneself might offer you some signals about their self-confidence. For example, if someone is walking erect with their shoulders back and looking straight ahead, it provides the signal that they feel good about themselves and have confidence.

However, if someone is slouching over and gazing at the ground while they walk, it produces an entirely different picture. It may not necessarily indicate that they have poor self-esteem, but that’s the impression it sends out.

10 - Rubbing Hands: It is thought that the hands transmit what the mind is thinking. When a person is rubbing their hands together, typically it signifies that they have a favorable feeling about something. People frequently do this when they are expectant about something wonderful coming up in the future, and they’re thrilled about it.

11 - Handshake: You can tell a lot by a person’s handshake. Soft and flabby - and they are prone to be subservient or a pushover. Too harsh and crushing - and they are perhaps dominant kinds. The duration of time is also essential. Too lengthy and it’s odd, yet too short might signal some type of conflict. It’s conceivable that the individual does not wish to create a meaningful relationship with you. But, it might also signify that they don’t have much time.

12 - Leaning In, Or Away: If a person leans in toward you, it’s a clear indicator that they are interested in what you have to say. What you may not realize, is that it’s also a gesture of respect. When individuals approach closer and lean toward you during a discussion, it implies that they want to confide in you. It helps you feel trustworthy and respected. If someone leans back, however, they express that they are bored of the talk, or maybe they feel uncomfortable for some reason.

13 - Holding The Baby: OK…this may seem like an odd one, but it’s good to know. If you’re meeting someone for the first time, and they just happen to be a new mother, look at what arm they use to hold the infant. Studies suggest that happy parents like to hold their newborns in their left arm. While worried and sad women frequently carry their newborns in their right arm.

14 - Crossed Arms And Legs: Have you ever had a chat with someone who crossed their arms or legs while you were talking to them? If you’re on a first date, or if you’re attempting to sell someone a new concept, it’s not a good indicator. Crossed arms and legs are physical barriers that signal the other person is not receptive to what you’re saying.

Even if they’re smiling and engaged in a nice discussion, their body language reveals the tale. Psychologically, crossed legs or arms, signify that a person is cognitively, emotionally, and physically walled off from what’s in front of them. On the same topic, the orientation of someone’s feet is also highly informative.

A person who likes you will have both feet looking in your direction. However, if their feet turn toward the door, it suggests they’ve had enough and want to go.

15 - Shoes: A person’s shoes may tell you a lot about their personality. We all make judgments about people’s shoes, but studies reveal that they are very accurate. - Nervous persons will have new or extremely clean shoes - Amiable types will wear practical shoes - Calm individuals have a fondness for uncomfortable shoes - And aggressive folks wear ankle boots Just have a look at your sneakers. Does your personality type match with them?

16 - Overall Appearance: How someone wears and displays themselves may tell volumes about them. If the individual has their hair in place, their clothes ironed, and they show attention to style, they may be highly detail-oriented. Someone with more casual clothing or “bed head” can be creative, or plain sloppy. And then take someone who appears unclean and stinky - they might just be an extremely lazy person.

17 - Copying Body Language: If you’ve never attempted to read people before, this is something you probably haven’t noticed. But, pay great notice to it in the future, since when someone duplicates your body language, it signifies they feel so wonderful about you, that they want to harmonize with you. It’s an indication that the discussion is going well and that the other side is open to your message.

This is done unintentionally - since no one goes about to overtly mimic someone. But when we’re comfortable with someone, we have a propensity to do what they do. Some of us are fairly skilled at interpreting the cues that individuals give off. While some are so awful, that they require the other person to come out and straight-up tell them what’s on their mind. Reading people isn’t simple, but if you can do it, it’s a terrific ability to have.

Of course, everyone is different, so analyzing their words and behaviors may or may not always be correct. But perhaps, with these techniques, you’ll be well on your way to getting better at reading people. We want to know what you think! When you’re meeting someone for the first time, what’s the first thing you generally notice about them? Let us know in the comments below.

If you loved this article, give it a thumbs up, and share it with your friends, so we can keep producing more. Thanks for reading!

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Ndeloh Desmond

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