How can you quickly and easily make someone act more kind?
Mimic their behavior. I've posted a number of times before on the power of mimicry to influence others (here, here, here.) This study is interesting because it demonstrates that mimicry…
1 min read
The Simple Gesture That Can Make You Seem Smarter
The study was done on children so it might not be applicable to adults but it's fascinating nonetheless: Merely pointing at something made someone who had been established as ignorant…
2 minutes
This Is The Quickest Way To Become An Expert Negotiator
Be nice. We often associate negotiation with being tough or manipulative. While there are certainly situations where that's the case, a great deal of the recent research says we can…
2 minutes
Here’s How What You Wear Affects How You Act
Yes. This study shows that while wearing clothes you associate with certain qualities, you will tend to embody those traits. Lab coats are associated with attentiveness and carefulness. When people…
2 minutes
Does small talk make a big difference?
Making face-to-face small talk before a negotiation dramatically increases the chance of a fair offer and that a deal will be made. Via Secrets of the Moneylab: How Behavioral Economics…
2 minutes
Is a touch on the arm all it takes to make you persuasive?
A light touch on the arm dramatically increases compliance with all manner of requests, from asking for money to getting a woman's phone number. Via Richard Wiseman's excellent book 59 Seconds:…
1 min read
What should you do when you’re caught red-handed?
Smile. The authors investigated the social significance of human smiles, specifically the penchant for transgressors who smile to be judged more leniently than those who do not. Of particular interest…
1 min read
Does too much computer time degrade social skills?
Too much time at the keyboard and not enough time with people may reduce the ability to read nonverbal signals, to judge the intent of others and influence them: Via…
1 min read
