[ed. Hat tip to Boing Boing for pointing out this Reddit stream on "mind tricks" for everyday life. Here are a few examples:]
You know that awkward moment when you and a stranger are walking towards each other but need to get past each other and you get confused and end up doing a left to right dance? Not for me! When I walk through large crowds of people, to avoid walking into anyone, I simply stare at my destination. I look no one in the eyes. People actually will watch your eyes and they avoid the direction you are going. If I look into people's eyes as we are walking into each other, we are sure to collide. You have to let people know where you intend to go with your eyes. It always works for me, try it!
If you're trying to find something, try looking right to left as opposed to left to right. Your eyes tend to skim over things if you search in the direction you are used to reading in, so skim the opposite way. It takes me a bit more effort to do this, but I notice more details.
You know that awkward moment when you and a stranger are walking towards each other but need to get past each other and you get confused and end up doing a left to right dance? Not for me! When I walk through large crowds of people, to avoid walking into anyone, I simply stare at my destination. I look no one in the eyes. People actually will watch your eyes and they avoid the direction you are going. If I look into people's eyes as we are walking into each other, we are sure to collide. You have to let people know where you intend to go with your eyes. It always works for me, try it!
If you're trying to find something, try looking right to left as opposed to left to right. Your eyes tend to skim over things if you search in the direction you are used to reading in, so skim the opposite way. It takes me a bit more effort to do this, but I notice more details.
If you're in a crowded social group, restaurant, bar, party etc... and you want to know if someone is checking you out try this: Turn sideways from them (they will be either 90 degrees right or left of you), then very obviously, look at your watch (even if you don't wear one, lift your wrist) then point at your watch and nod thoughtfully. Over acting is perfectly acceptable. If they are keeping tabs on you, even peripherally, they will have a sudden urge to know the time and will either look at their own watch, cell phone, or casually look at the various obvious places where someone would put a clock.
The door-in-the-face technique. The general idea is that you ask someone for a huge favor which you're relatively confident they'll say no to. Then you ask them for a small favor. Subjects who initially refuse the huge favor have a much higher compliance rate on the small favor than if you just ask directly for the small favor or if you present both at once. If they end up saying yes to the huge favor, that's also good.
If you ask a question, and receive only a partial answer, respond with polite silence. Simply wait. A more complete answer will usually follow.
There's something in sales called the Sullivan Nod. Basically when you're asking someone something, nod up and down while you're asking. Their mirror neurons start firing and they begin nodding and agreeing with you subconsciously. 60% of the time it works every time.
Read more:
If you ask a question, and receive only a partial answer, respond with polite silence. Simply wait. A more complete answer will usually follow.
There's something in sales called the Sullivan Nod. Basically when you're asking someone something, nod up and down while you're asking. Their mirror neurons start firing and they begin nodding and agreeing with you subconsciously. 60% of the time it works every time.
Read more:
