Off The Record
20 Scientifically Proven Ways To Dominate People Without Saying a Word
Communication is the key to the human society. We’ve developed and thrived as a species and gained ability to communicate in a complex yet effective manner.
The advancement of technology has now led to a world where we have more than one method to communicate, and all of them rather simpler and faster than the older methods.
Sadly, this has brought about a decline in a basic necessity – face to face communication. Why meet when you can text, right?
But despite the growth of technology in the communication sector, people still put a lot to store with face to face interactions. The reason behind this is: Body Language.
Body Language is a separate and well developed domain. It has been studied extensively by people all over the world, for its intricacies hide our deepest traits and behavioral patterns.
Do you know how to understand body language? Do you know when your “Body” gives you away while you say one thing but don’t mean it? Can you tell apart these signs in others while conversing?
It is interesting to note that when a person says something, this is how that information could be processed and understood:
10% of what the person actually said
40% from the tone and speed of voice
50% is from the body language of the individual
There are things our body does by default that “betrays” our feelings and intentions when we want the other person to think different.
Here are scientifically proven ways to dominate people without saying a single word:
1. “If you want to know if someone is interested, watch their pupils. The pupils are one part of our eye body language we have practically no control over. Eckhard Hess found that the pupil dilates when we are interested in the person we’re talking to, or at least interested in what they’re talking about.”
2. “If a person is interested in you, look at their feet. Most people know to keep their facial expressions in check, but they don’t pay attention to what their feet are doing. So if somebody’s feet are pointed directly towards you, this is a sign of genuine interest; Pointing at the door… not so much.”
3. “Blue means trust. Red means jumped. Blue makes you seem trustworthy, conservative, secure, and clean, while red, on the other hand, gives off power, energy, danger, and inspires feelings of passion and love. The choice is yours.”
4. “Want to know about somebody’s political views? Shift your gaze. Glance away, as you’re talking to someone. If a person follows your eyes when you look away, that means they are likely liberal. Conservatives will be much less likely to shift their gaze.”
5. “Servers who touch their customers get better tips. Studies show that female servers receive higher tips when they touch customers lightly on the shoulder, hand, or arm. START TOUCHING, SERVERS!”
6. “Tilt your head back to take charge. Studies show that the more you bow your head, the more submissive you seem, while the more you tilt your head back, the more dominant you appear.”
7. “Your watch tells if people are lying (well, not literally). According to a new study, people who are tired are more likely to lie, cheat, and act unethically. The conclusion says that morning people are more likely to lie at night, and night owls are more likely to lie in the morning.” – Brian Gunia, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School
8. “You want to be a “big shot”? S P R E A D O U T. Powerful people take up lots of space. They splay their arms and legs, make broad gestures, and generally fill a room. In fact, tall people are statistically more likely to rise higher on their professions than shorter people.” – Vanessa Van Edwards, author and behavioral investigator, Science of People
9. “Want to fell trusted? Let them speak first. You can do this by asking question. Yielding the floor makes the other persons feel warmth toward you, and as though they’re being heard and understood.” – Wired interview with social psychologist Amy Cuddy
10. “GIRLS, open your eyes here. The smell of lavender and pumpkin pie turns men on. A study by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that the scent of lavender and pumpkin pie caused 40% increase in penile blood flow, in male volunteers. Second on the list were donut and black licorice with 31.5%”
11. “Want somebody to agree with you? Nod your head. Nods are contagious, and spread good feelings. If you nod your head as you ask your “yes” question, or as you listen to responses, others will begin to nod along and start to feel positive about what you’re chatting.”
12. “Mirroring means instant affinity! If you want to make a connection with someone, try mirroring their expressions and gestures. Doing so will make the other person feel understood and accepted. If you see others unconsciously imitating your body language, you can be fairly sure that they like or agree with you.” – Carol Kinsey Goman, PhD
13. “Want to look sexually experienced, get a tattoo. A study found that people with tattoos are viewed as more thrill and adventure-seeking, less inhibited, and more likely to have a high number of previous sexual partners than their ink-free counterparts.”
14. “If you want someone to fall in love with you, gaze into their eyes. A study conducted in 1989 determined simple eye contact could make a person fall in love with you (Kellerman, Lewis, and Laird). In this study, two sexually compatible strangers were asked to gaze into each other’s eyes for two minutes. In some cases, the participants reported passionate feelings for one another.”
15. “Playing with hair? You are receptive.” If you are out with a person and they’re twirling their hair or playing with their jewelry, it doesn’t mean they’re distracted. It’s a sign of romantic interest.” – Jeremy Nicholson, M.S.W., PhD
16. “You can tell how open or closed a person is by their forehead. Look at person’s forehead. The more wrinkles they have, and the deeper they are, the more open that person is likely to be. That’s because a characteristic gesture of an open person is to raise their eyebrows, wrinkling the forehead.”
17. “When you’re losing a game, act like you’re winning. There is body language associated with people losing that most people can detect intuitively. In sports, this can cause a downward spiral for athletes on the losing side. Want to turn the game around? Square your shoulders, puff your chest, and walk like a winner.” – Phillip Furley and Geoffrey Schweizer, 2014
18. “Is your date distracted? He or she might be rich! Studies have shown that people with a high socio-economic status are less engaged when it comes to conversation – they fidget and doodle, rather than playing close attention to others.”
19. “You can dominate the conversation by moving forward. You can take the lead in a conversation by leaning slightly forward when you want the other person to stop talking. Or use a hand gesture to take the ‘public space’ between you – the gestural equivalent of standing up in a classroom to lead the group.”
20. “Finger length is linked to hormone levels. If a man’s ring finger and index finger are the same length, he might be gay. If a woman’s ring finger is noticeably longer than her pointer, then she might be gay.”
