1. Stay calm when someone becomes angry
Usually, things might get out of hand during a conversation. The other person might get angry at you and exhibit explicit behavior. In a situation like this, you might struggle to keep your head calm, but being able to do so is a very effective psychological technique.
If you react, the situation will become more complicated. On the other hand, if you stay calm and maintain eye contact, the other person will eventually feel guilty for their behavior and regain their composure. That’s how you can teach someone a lesson without stooping to their level.
2. Stay silent when you are not satisfied with the answer
Most people tend to deviate from the actual truth in their answers. You can use a common psychological tactic to divulge more. If you don’t get fulfilled with someone’s answer, don’t say anything; instead, maintain eye contact with them. They will feel pressure and may say something else to make their answer seem plausible.
3. Smile and make eye contact with others
Both eye contact and a smile are powerful psychological tools for making a positive impression on people. When you meet someone, make sure to maintain eye contact. It will show your confidence and sincerity during the meeting. But don’t stare at someone consistently; it will make people uncomfortable and indicate a lack of manners.
Smiling is the best way to convey to someone that you like them and are enjoying the conversation. A smile represents your personality to people, and with a joyful smile, you can win people’s hearts.
4. Observe people’s feet
The movement of an individual’s feet is a significant indicator of their comfort and interest in a conversation. While talking with someone, if their feet move toward you, it can be a good sign that they’re interested in the conversation.
When they point their feet away from you, it’s a sign they aren’t enjoying the conversation and do not want to engage in a lengthy discussion.
If their feet move towards the door, it indicates that they want to leave the place but you’re holding them back. So, next time when you approach to start a conversation, observe the movement of people’s feet so that you don’t make them feel uncomfortable.
5. “Fake it till you make it.”
You will become what you believe you are. You will only get any work done if you believe in your ability. However, if you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t put in the necessary hard work for anything. As a result, the chance of your success tends to be zero.
Act as though you already have what you want to achieve. For example, if you desire to become a writer, imagine yourself as a writer and write every day until you have published your book. Faking it can boost your confidence. As long as you are truthful in assessing your development, there is nothing wrong with it.
6. Call people by their name
For a person, probably the sweetest sound is their name. People feel valued and delighted when someone calls them by their name. To make a lasting impression on someone and win their affection, address them by their first name.
If you struggle to remember people’s names, there is a solution for you. Whenever you go outside to meet people, take a notepad with you or use any notepad app to write down people’s names, occupations, and the reason or location for meeting with them. It will help you remember their name in the future.
7. Make others repeat jokes
Humor is a highly effective tool for making any conversation engaging and enjoyable. However, you can’t let anyone disrespect you by saying something unpleasant joke about you. In those situations, do not react.
Instead, tell the person you didn’t get his joke and ask him to repeat it. If he repeats his joke, it won’t be as hilarious, and he will feel guilty for his behavior.
8 Share ideas, not issue
When you speak in front of an audience, try to focus on providing solutions rather than discussing different problems. People have to struggle with numerous issues in life, and they won’t appreciate a person talking about problems only.
To make a good impression on people, try to be a problem solver and demonstrate your credibility by sharing your journey in solving the problem.
9. Learn storytelling
The best way to capture people’s hearts is through telling a story. Instead of explaining topics using technical jargon, you can more effectively tell a story by illustrating how these topics can impact people’s lives.
People will take you seriously and be able to relate to the topic if you do this. Opening up to people and sharing how events have impacted your life and how you have overcome them can create a beautiful narrative to impress others.
10. Pause while talking
Taking short pauses while talking is an effective form of body language. Nobody likes continuous mumbling, and engaging in it makes you less likely to impress people.
On the other hand, taking a short pause after completing sentences will give the audience a chance to grasp your story and demonstrate your confidence. It’s a sign of every great public speaker.
11. Everyone is beautiful from the top
Any single quality of a person, whether positive or negative, creates an impression that surpasses all other aspects of that person. Psychologists call it the “Halo Effect.” We’re very prone to make this thinking error.
For example, subconsciously, we perceive good-looking people as pleasant, honest, and intelligent. We tend to overlook the rest of their characteristics.
Another example is advertisements featuring celebrities. Without knowing the details of the product, we often rush to buy it simply because our favorite star has promoted it.
So, be careful when judging people’s character solely based on their outward appearance. Don’t let someone’s outer look fool you into thinking they are faultless.
12. The Paradox of Choice
We believe having more options increases the likelihood of making the best decision. But it’s not right in every case. We become more perplexed as our options increase.
Psychologist Barry Schwartz described in his book The ‘Paradox of Choice’ that having the ability to choose from a wide range of options leads to inner paralysis. In a test, the grocery store sold ten times as much jelly in six flavors tastes as it did in twenty-four flavors.
As a result, be it shopping or choosing a life partner, don’t get upset about fewer options. Your goal should not be making a perfect decision because nothing is perfect. Instead, settle for making a wise decision. It is one of the best psychological hacks one can master.
13. Forecast Illusion
Whenever we open a news channel or browse the internet, they show us numerous predictions. But in the last ten years, how many predictions from experts have proven to be true? You know the answer! Experts are doing marginally better than a random forecast generator. Psychologists call it the “Forecast Illusion.”
Many people are unaware of their lack of knowledge and still make predictions in the media. It’s easy to get worried when the share price drops or the inflation rate rises by 7% kinds of news.
As a result, whenever you hear a prediction from someone, look into their previous track record. Beware of making any foolish decisions based on so-called expert predictions.
14. Self-serving bias
We often credit ourselves for success and attribute our failures to external factors. Psychologists call it the “self-serving bias.” We do it to feel better, but it will lead us to harm our lives.
Overcompensating ourselves for success and blaming others for failure can lead us astray from reality. You have to be honest with yourself and evaluate your successes and failures from a neutral perspective. Ask your friend to be completely honest and tell you about your strengths and weaknesses. It would help you rebuild your life.
15. Framing
If we deliver a message uniquely, people will receive it differently. Psychologists call it “Framing.” For example, if you tell your wife, “Could you please give me a cup of tea?” or “Honey, I’m tired. Could you make me a cup of tea?” The latter will create a better impression on your wife.
The way you say something can make a world of difference. Research has proven that individuals react differently to identical situations depending on their presentation.
For example, in an experiment, the researcher presented two options to the volunteers: they needed to choose a meat that is 99% fat-free or a meat with 1% fat.
Even though both options are the same, people choose the first one. As a result, try to express your emotions differently through your words.
Psychological Hacks to Overcome Unpleasant Situations
15. Chew gum to calm your nerves
It’s normal to experience anxiety and panic when we need to show ourselves to people. Chewing gum can be a good option in this kind of situation.
Chewing gum conveys the message to our brain that we’re comfortable with the situation. Otherwise, why would we be chewing something? It helps to calm down your excited nerves and prepare yourself to perform.
16. Sitting next to an aggressor
Have you ever observed how any person sitting next to the boss in an office meeting receives less blame, while you and your other colleagues are being reprimanded for any mistake? It’s because we feel uncomfortable showing anger to someone close to us.
So, next time when there is a chance that a person might get paranoid about you, try to avoid the situation as much as possible by sitting next to them.
17. Don’t ask them to choose; decide for them
This psychological trick works very well with children. For example, do not ask them if they would like to have some fruit. Rather, ask them if they want mangoes or if they prefer oranges. It will give your children a sense of control by allowing them to make choices.
It doesn’t only work on children. If you are seeking donations, ask individuals if they would be willing to contribute either $5 or $10 according to your specific needs. This simple trick can help you complete your work without getting into any arguments.
18. Put a mirror behind your cash counter
If you have a store or are working in sales, you need to deal with different kinds of customers daily. Some customers have a very angry nature, and sometimes things can get a little heated.
To avoid this kind of situation, place a mirror behind you at the cash counter. The customers have to see their faces while arguing with you. Nobody likes to see someone’s grumpy face, and their anger will start to melt away.
19. Ask people for a favor
If you feel like there are people who don’t like you and you want them to like you, ask them to do a favor for you. No matter how tough we may appear, we often experience a sense of guilt when refusing someone’s request.
When people do someone a favor, they start to like that person. Because we compensate for our feelings by saying, “After all, they’re not that bad as a person.” A person who has done a favor for someone is more likely to do another favor for that person. It is known as the “Benjamin Franklin effect.”
20 Conclusion
Psychology has always been a fascinating subject for human beings. It helps us understand how our brains work under different circumstances. The purpose of psychological hacks is to improve our lives by helping us build positive relationships and enhance our cognitive abilities.