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How to Read Anyone Instantly

18 Psychological tips

By Lilian Chukwudumebi OkaforPublished 20 days ago 7 min read
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How to Read Anyone Instantly
Photo by Bret Kavanaugh on Unsplash

We are constantly bombarded with information the first time we meet someone new. Determining their personality can be challenging. For this reason, it's critical to comprehend HOW we communicate.
Experts claim that body language accounts for 55% of our communication, voice tone accounts for 38%, and actual words account for only 7%. This implies that in addition to what a person's appearance might imply, we must consider these three things when we first meet someone. Therefore, start at the head and observe the following cues to get a sense of someone's personality when you first meet them!
1. Eye Contact
Eyes are the window to the soul, so they say. Understanding the context will help you determine the type of eye contact someone is making with you. An indication of a romantic interest could be, for instance, that someone is genuinely fixated on you. Conversely, when you meet someone's gaze and they are unable to return the glance, it indicates that they are either shy or conceal something from you. Nevertheless, if the person you're speaking with has you squirming, especially if they're motionless and not blinking, there's undoubtedly a problem, and they might probably be lying.
2. Eyebrows
If you want to see how comfortable a person is, take a look at their eyebrows! There are three main emotions that make your eyebrows go up: surprise, worry, and fear.
3. Try raising your eyebrows
When you and a friend are conversing informally and at ease, try raising your eyebrows. It's challenging, isn't it? When someone you're speaking with raises their eyebrows and the subject isn't one that should logically inspire shock, anxiety, or fear, it's a good indication that they're not feeling very comfortable.
4. Grin
The eyes cannot lie, but the mouth can when it comes to smiling. Sincere smiles cause the skin around the eyes to wrinkle, giving the appearance of crow's feet. The next time you wish to determine whether someone is truly smiling, check for wrinkles at the corners of their eyes. People frequently use their smiles to mask their true thoughts and feelings. That grin is concealing something if they aren't there!
5. What They Say
It's likely that someone you meet for the first time is a pretty decent person themselves if all they can talk about is how amazing their partner is or how much they love their coworkers. Research indicates that individuals who perceive others to be kind, courteous, affectionate, and well-mannered are more likely to exhibit these qualities themselves. Nevertheless, the opposite is also true. It is more likely that someone who backstabs and accuses others of being cunning and manipulative also possesses these qualities. It's also conceivable that they have a background of personality disorders or depression.
6. Paralanguage
Nonverbal cues like voice intonation, pitch, and tone of voice are examples of paralanguage. It basically means that you should be aware of the manner in which someone speaks. Someone is probably disinterested and detached from your idea, for instance, if they are responding to you in a monotone. Another excellent example is the use of sarcasm. When someone uses sarcasm, their intended meaning is completely different from what their words indicate. As a result, pay attention to the emphasis they place on words and their delivery. It offers you a clear indication of what their genuine objectives are.
7. Side Glance
Those who are friendly and eager to meet you will face you and make eye contact. Conversely, if someone you've just met looks sideways right away, it's a subliminal body language cue that they're trying to get away.
8. Frequent Nodding
When someone nods, it usually means they agree with you. However, excessive nodding might be a sign of nervousness about being accepted. If someone nods a lot during you're speaking to them, it's a sign that you don't trust them to follow your directions or that they are concerned about your opinion of them. However, repeated nodding may also be unintentional signals to the other person to move on, similar to when someone touches their car keys or keeps looking at their watch.
9. Chin And Jaw
People usually rub their chins when they are trying to decide. They could be gazing sideways, upwards, or downwards. That is undoubtedly an indication that they are thinking deeply. An expression of stress is a clenched jaw. This conveys a significant degree of discomfort, regardless of what the individual is saying. They might be talking about something that's worrying them, or their attention might be elsewhere and they're just concentrating on the topic.
10. Posture
You can learn a lot about someone's level of confidence from the way they present themselves. An individual may be confident and feel good about themselves if, for instance, they are walking straight ahead, shoulders back, and with their head held high. On the other hand, a completely different impression is created if someone is walking with a hunched over posture and their back to the viewer. It may not always indicate low self-esteem, but that's the impression it conveys.
11. Rubbing Hands
It's said that the hands reflect the thoughts of the head. Rubbing one's hands together usually indicates that the person is feeling good about something. People typically act in this way when they are enthusiastic and full of hope for something positive to happen in the future.
12. Handshake
One's handshake can reveal a lot about a person. Soft and floppy, they're probably a pushover or a submissive person. They seem overbearing and excessively harsh and stifling. Another crucial factor is the duration. Too short could suggest a conflict, but too long would be strange. It's conceivable that they are not interested in developing a close relationship with you. However, it could also mean that they don’t have much time.
13. Leaning In, Or Away
It's obvious that someone is interested in what you have to say if they lean in toward you. You might be surprised to hear that it also serves as a show of respect. During a conversation, it is a sign that someone wants to confide in you when they move in closer and lean in. You get a sense of worth and reliability from it. Leaning back, on the other hand, indicates that the person is either bored with the discussion or is uneasy for some other reason.
14. Holding The Baby
All right, so this one may seem odd at first, but it's useful information. Observe which arm the person holding the baby uses if you are meeting someone for the first time and they are a new mother. Empowered mothers typically hold their infants in their left arm, according to research. Moms in stress or depression typically hold their infants in their right arm.
15. Crossed Arms And Legs
When you were conversing with someone, have you ever seen them cross their arms or legs? It's not a good sign if you're trying to sell someone on a new idea or if you're on a first date. Physical barriers such as crossed arms and legs indicate that the other person is not receptive to your words. Their body language conveys more information than just a smile and friendly conversation. Crossed arms or legs are a psychological cue that someone is emotionally, mentally, and physically cut off from what's in front of them. In the same vein, a person's foot orientation can also reveal a lot. When someone likes you, they will be facing you with both feet. Nonetheless, if their feet move in the direction of the door, it indicates they’ve had enough and wish to go.
16. Shoes
A person's shoes can reveal a lot about who they are as a person. Research indicates that although we all seem to have opinions about people's shoes, they are generally accurate. Anxious persons will wear brand-new or immaculate footwear. - Friendly personalities will don sensible footwear - Calm individuals are drawn to uncomfortable footwear Moreover, combative individuals don ankle boots. Look at your own shoes, please. Do they and your personality type mesh well?
17. Overall Appearance
A person's appearance and way of dressing can reveal a lot about them. A person may exhibit attention to detail if they have their clothes ironed, their hair styled, and they appear well-groomed. A person with "bed head" or a more relaxed wardrobe may be messy or creative. And then consider the possibility that someone who appears messy and smelly is just incredibly lazy.
18. Copying Body Language
This is probably something you haven't noticed if you have never tried to read people. When someone imitates your body language, though, it indicates that they are drawn to you and want to harmonize with you. So be wary of this in the future. It indicates that both parties are paying attention to you and that the conversation is progressing smoothly. Unconsciously, since nobody goes around deliberately copying others, this is done. On the other hand, we often follow their lead when we feel at ease around them. When it comes to interpreting the cues that people give off, some of us are fairly adept.
In contrast, some people are so awful that they require the other person to come clean and express their thoughts. Although it's not simple, being able to read people is an incredibly valuable skill. As each person is unique, it is impossible to accurately interpret someone's words and actions all the time.
That being said, hopefully, these pointers will help you improve your people reading skills. Please share your thoughts with us! What is the first thing you typically notice about someone when you first meet them? Tell us in the space provided for comments..

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About the Creator

Lilian Chukwudumebi Okafor

An eclectic collection of the fictional and nonfictional story ideas that have accumulated in me over the years. They range from all different sorts of genres.

I hope you enjoy diving into the world of my mind's constant creative workings.

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