Most of us have heard about cool psychological tricks that affect how other people see things and behave. While it sounds cool in theory, you never really know how effective these tricks are or who invented them. That’s why we went ahead and looked into real, scientific, and peer-reviewed studies to come up with ten legitimate psychological tricks that actually work. Let’s go!
1. Ask a question, then stare.
We’ve all asked a friend a question only to have them give us a short or incomplete answer. If you find yourself in this situation, there’s a psychological trick that will help you get the information you need. Once your friend finishes giving you their half-full answer, simply stare at them and say nothing. Nada. Zip. You might be thinking, “But I’ll surely look like a weirdo! Won’t my friend notice?” They’ll notice, all right, but all they will feel is the discomfort of silence and be pushed to elaborate more on what they were talking about earlier. You’d be surprised what just a few seconds of silence can produce.
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2. Get rid of the song in your head.
If I start singing, “Who let the dogs out?” I bet most of you just said, “Who? Who? Who? Who?”. Nothing worse than a song stuck in a loop in your head, am I right? Want to get rid of it? Sing the last part of the song. Most of us forget that part, so you might have to look it up, but once you sing it your brain processes this information as complete and, now, it’s ready to move on to other things. The reason choruses get stuck in our heads is because they aren’t complete songs so our minds run laps – almost literally – trying to figure them out. Find the ending, finish the song.
3. Watch where you’re going – literally.
If you’re in a crowd and are struggling to get out, find a point ahead and fix your gaze on it. Avoid making eye contact with those around you. By looking straight ahead, others will see your determination and focus and be much more likely to move out of your way as you head towards that point.
4. Make an offer that’s easy to refuse.
This psychological trick is great for those in sales or for those trying to make deals at work. Your first offer should be something that is easily denied. For example, you offer your services for $5,000, which is much more than they’re really worth, the person politely declines. Then, you hit them with a second offer – your realistic one – that is very distinct from the first. In our example, this might be $3,000 for your services. The other person is much more likely to comply because of this distinct jump in price. Spoiler alert – this is what most store sale signs do to get us to buy things we don’t need.
5. Use urgency to push deals along.
Another psychological trick for those doing deals is to use a sense of urgency to get them going. We can easily see this in stores when they say, “This deal won’t last!” or “Get yours today before we run out!”. Online shops also use this by telling you when other people have your item in their cart or when a purchase is made before you.
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6. Be the best student by teaching.
If you’re trying to learn something new and are having a hard time, try teaching it to someone else. Not in a professional way, but just to your friend, parent, or relative. Ask them if you can try explaining a concept you’re learning about. Studies have shown that when we’re explaining something to someone else, we tend to make more sense of it and learn it better ourselves. So, should students actually be the teachers? Who am I to say…
7. Chew gum when you’re nervous.
Other studies have correlated chewing gum to calming anxiety and nervousness. The theory is that eating and chewing are things we do when we’re calm and not threatened, so chewing gum may imitate these feelings in the brain. Fun fact, this is also a way to lower aggression in those around you. You’ve never seen one person yelling while another munches on chips, now have you?
8. Rephrase your questions.
The way you ask a question has a huge impact on how it’s answered or whether it’s answered at all. For example, teachers have found that way more students raise their hands if they say, “What questions do you have?” instead of asking, “Does anyone have any questions?” The same can be done at work or at home. Instead of asking, “Can anyone help with this project?” ask “Who can help with this project?” or another variation to test your luck.
9. Thank someone for a trait they don’t have.
This trick might sound silly at first, but it’s easy and has shown some great results. Here’s an optimal example. You show up late somewhere or you’re working and a customer had to wait a long time for your service. Instead of apologizing for being late or taking a long time, thank that person for their patience. It will be a whole lot harder for them to give you crap about the lateness after you’ve just complimented them on how kind and understanding they are.
10. Tell someone you need their help.
If you need something from someone, your best bet to get assistance is to say, “I need your help.” This has a sense of urgency, a petition for that person’s very special assistance, and a pitiful plea. These ingredients work together to make the other person feel special and strong, making them more likely to try and help you if they can.
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Now you’ve got this arsenal of psychological tricks in your pocket, which ones are you going to use first? Let us know in the comments!