Mental manipulation psychological tricks: 12 infallible techniques 🆙

A collection of 12 infallible psychological mind manipulation tricks that will help you right now in your daily life.

Would you like to know some cool psychological manipulation tricks?

You will be surprised when you learn about some of these, as you may have experienced them unconsciously, but didn't know when they can be useful. And these tricks are quite easy to use in everyday life. Then let's get started.

NB: This article is part of our Psychology based advice column

12 infallible psychological tricks of mental and social manipulation

1. The importance of the word "Why".

When you ask for something you want, use the word "why" in your request. You see, the word "why" has a powerful psychological effect: it forces the brain to believe that there is a more than valid reason for the request.

According to research conducted in the XNUMXs in a chain store, when someone asked to cross the line, more people agreed if it was asked with the word "why" in the sentence compared to the request that did not contain "why". what", even if the reason given was exactly the same.

You can use this to your advantage, for example, if you want to borrow money from someone, ask, "Could you lend me three dollars because I've been running low on cash lately?"

Use the word because the other person will understand you better and have empathy for you.

2. The power of the pause

Have you noticed how politicians and speakers use pauses in their speech? Before announcing a big decision, they take a long pause, which is very effective in attracting the listener's attention and curiosity.

So next time, during a meeting or conversation, take a proper break before you announce your communication. It will make your presentation more effective and exciting.

3. Check your eye color

When you meet someone for the first time, carefully check the color of their eyes.

Now let me explain why: eye color is not important.

While checking the person's eye color, you will be able to maintain eye contact with the person long enough.

And we all know the importance of eye contact to build trust and deep relationships.

4. Call by name

Do you want to build strong connections with others? Remember the name of the person, and when you meet them again, greet them by their name, say "Hello Marco" instead of just saying "Hello". And do not stay there, remember the little details that you were told before and go deeper with them.

People feel important and respected when you remember details about them. And they will automatically feel connected to you.

5. Keep quiet

This is probably one of the most powerful psychological manipulation tricks out there, because it allows you to expose liars.

If you doubt that someone is telling you the truth, remain silent and look him in the eye when he has finished speaking. Silence and your expectation of more information will propel them towards the truth.

When we force someone to tell the truth, they will come up with lies, manipulative and elusive responses. On the other hand, if we stay quiet, they will keep trying to explain things better and will probably end up telling the truth.

6. Ask for big favors

People feel terrible when they deny a request. Let's say you're raising money for a charitable cause and you're requesting a donation from someone, rather than directly asking them to donate $10. You say "Would you like to donate $100 to our cause?" and when they refuse they ask again "How about 10 euros?". They are more likely to accept the second request because the second offer will cost them much less by comparison.

Traders always use this technique. First they try to sell you at a high price, and when you start haggling, they accept a lower price.

7. Tell a secret.

Bonding with someone can seem difficult. But we have a trick for you: share your secret (without commitment) with the other person. She will feel valuable and trustworthy, and ultimately she will be more open with you.

When you go out with a girl, tell her a secret story about yourself and ask her to keep it a secret. When you tell them your secret, they too will feel connected to you and share their stories.

8. Ask ONE person for help. Don't ask people for help.

Need help solving a problem? Instead of announcing to multiple people that you'd need help, like "Can someone please fill out this form for me," ask just one person for help, like "Hey Robert, can you fill out this form for me?"

When you ask someone individually for help, they will most likely agree to your request because they will feel responsible if they don't help you.

9. Make specific decisions.

People like to have a choice, and if you want to achieve something, you will be more successful if you give people a choice.

In addition, it is advisable to frame your request in a selective answer such as Yes or No. When the available options are given in the request itself, the other person will have fewer things to think about and make decisions faster.

So instead of telling someone to complete a certain job, you should ask, “When could I complete this? In the afternoon or at night?

10. Count to five.

This is a psychological trick of self-manipulation.

The next time you don't want to do something you know you have to do, tell yourself you'll count to five and then do it. Like when you think about skipping the gym, completely stop everything you're doing for a few moments, start counting to five, and then get ready to hit the gym.

It may sound strange, but while counting, we give our brain some time to rationalize the situation and act accordingly, instead of jumping to the wrong decision.

11. Mimic body language.

Do you want to create an instant connection with someone? It only reflects your body language. It is a good trick to grab attention and build a relationship with anyone. Yes, but don't overdo it, just lightly mimic their posture and facial expression without drawing attention to yourself.

For example, if a seated customer keeps their knees apart and leans slightly toward you while speaking, you should wait a few seconds and then adopt a similar posture.

12. Chewing gum to reduce anxiety

This is another psychological trick of self manipulation.

A study presented at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine found that chewing gum was associated with increased alertness, reduced anxiety, and better overall performance in multitasking activities.

Chewing gum is also associated with a reduced level of the hormone cortisol, which is the main cause of anxiety and stress.

So if you're too anxious about a meeting, public talk, or event, then take some gum with you. Before the event that makes you nervous, chew a piece of gum to relieve stress.