Psychology Facts

▲ Reading/Understanding People ▲

》Be objective and open-minded

Before you attempt to read people, you must first practice having an open mind. Do not let your emotions and past experiences influence your impressions and opinions. If you judge people easily, it will cause you to misread people. Be objective in approaching every interaction and situation.

》Pay attention to one's appearance

Judith Orloff M.D says that when reading others, try to notice people's appearance. What are they wearing? Are they dressed for success, which indicates they are ambitious? Or they are wearing jeans and a t-shirt, which means comfort? Do they have a pendant such as a cross or Buddha which indicates their spiritual values? Whatever they wear, you can sense something from it. To observe one should pay attention to "identity claims". These are things people choose to show with their appearances, such as a t-shirt with slogans, tattoos, or rings.

》Pay attention to people's posture

A person's posture says a lot about his or her attitude. If they hold their head high, it means they are confident. If they walk indecisively or cower, it may be a sign of low self-esteem. when it comes to posture, look for if they hold their high in a confident manner, or if they walk indecisively or cower, which indicates low self-esteem.

》Watch their physical movements

More than words, people express their feelings through movements. For example, we lean toward those we like and away from those we don't. "If they're leaning in, if their hands are out and open, palms facing up, that's a good sign that they are connecting with you,"

》Try to interpret facial expressions

Unless you are a master of the poker face, your emotions will be etched on your face. there are several ways to interpret facial expressions.

They are:

When you see deep frown lines forming, it may suggest the person is worried or overthinking.

On the contrary, a person who is truly laughing will show crow's feet – the smile lines of joy.

Another thing to watch out for is pursed lips which can signal anger, contempt, or bitterness. Additionally, a clenched jaw and teeth grinding are signs of tension.

》Watch people's eyes

They say our eyes are the doorway to our souls – they transmit powerful energies. So take the time to observe people's eyes. When you look, can you see a caring soul? Are they mean, angry, or guarded? They can also "serve as a good detector for what people like" by looking at pupil size.

》Three Types Of Smiles

Reward smile: Lips pulled directly upwards, dimples at the sides of mouth and eyebrows lift. This communicates positive feedback.

Affiliative smile: Involves pressing lips together while also making little dimples at the side of the mouth. Sign of friendship and liking.

Dominance smile: Upper lip is raised and cheeks get pushed upwards, the nose gets wrinkled, indentation between nose and mouth deepens, and raised upper lids.

》 Don't run away from small talk.

Maybe you feel unease with small talk. However, it can give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the other person. Small talk helps you observe how a person behaves in normal situations. You can then use it as a benchmark to accurately spot any behavior that is out of the ordinary.

》Ask direct questions to get a straight answer

To get a straight answer, you have to stay away from vague questions. Always ask questions that require a straight answer. Remember not to interrupt when the person is answering your question. Instead, you can observe the person's mannerisms as they talk.

》Listen to what your gut says

Listen to your gut especially when you first meet a person. It will give you a visceral reaction before you have a chance to think. Your gut will relay whether you're at ease or not with the person. According to Judith Orloff M.D,  "Gut feelings occur quickly, a primal response. They're your internal truth meter, relaying if you can trust people."

》Feel the goosebumps, if any

Goosebumps happen when we resonate with people who move or inspire us. It can also happen when a person is saying something that strikes a chord within us." When we look at research [on the chills], outside of the evolutionary response to warm ourselves, it's music that seems to trigger it, as well as moving experiences and even movies,"

》Sense the person's presence

This means that we have to feel the overall emotional atmosphere surrounding us. When you read people, try to notice if the person has a friendly presence that attracts you or you face a wall, making you back off.