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36 Of The Most Interesting Psychological Tricks That Seem To Work A Little Too Well On People
It's no secret that psychology influences nearly every single thing a person does in their life. From creating what kind of a person they are to how they feel and how they form relationships with others, psychology affects nearly all aspects of life.
At the same time, a person can learn to utilize psychology for their gain, by learning tricks that can make a difference, whether within themselves or their connections. This list is full of ways you can mess with someone, which were suggested by various netizens. So, dive in to check them out -- just make sure not to use them for any overly malicious purposes.
More info: Reddit
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#1
Ask them "if you could change anything about yourself, what would it be
...apart from the obvious".
RELATED:
#2
Sending a text: “hey, are you joining this meeting?”.
For a lot of people, when they hear the word “psychology,” they instantly think of therapy or mental health. Such thinking isn’t inherently wrong, after all, therapy and psychology itself are important players in addressing mental health. As long as this connection isn’t tainted by stigma, there is nothing wrong with it.
Yet, in reality, the term itself is way broader. Technically, psychology refers to a person's mind and behavior, but when you look a tad deeper than this shallow explanation, you find that it's about the biological, social, and environmental factors and influences that affect how people feel, think, and act. It's deeply rooted in every aspect of life – from our inner selves to our behavior and connections with other people.
#4
Ask them "How do you feel when you say that?" when they say something hateful or s****y.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 4 hours ago
But are you sure I said that? Because I fűcking ain't!
#6
I sometimes say mid conversation "its like i always say" then dont say anything.
Apatheist Account2 4 hours ago
Akin to the Pythonesque "May I interrupt you for a moment?" "Yes." "Okay thanks, carry on."
So, this makes psychology one of the most powerful tools each person has in their arsenal. Well, if they know how to use it.
As we already mentioned when we talked about therapy, psychology can help a person deal with their mental health, but it is also helpful beyond that, with various things, like motivation. It is deeply rooted in relying on how a person manages to find a drive and control within themselves, but also how they utilize external factors like punishment or rewards to stay motivated.
Besides all the ways psychology can help a person to “deal” with themselves, it also contributes to the way their relationships with others look. Factors like mental health and a person’s characteristics influence the way relationships look, and as we acknowledged a couple of times, these are driven by psychology.
#8
If you are talking with someone and you just hand them some random object, they will automatically take it.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 22 minutes ago (edited)
Darren Brown used this trick in one of his early shows.
#9
Say “no pun intended” after statements with no pun in them.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 4 hours ago
If there's no pun, I'll just assume that you're stupid and don't know what a pun is.
It can also be utilized to manipulate relationships, so to speak. Just as a person tricks themselves to get motivated with a reward/punishment system, various tricks can be used on other people too, for better or worse.
So, when a Redditor asked online for “a psychological trick to really mess with somebody,” plenty of people had something to say. To be more specific, almost 2K of them. We decided to compile the best responses into this list and make a small handbook of psychological tricks.
The list contains both innocent and quite mean tricks, from messing someone up by not taking gum yourself when you offer it to them to stressing them about missed meetings or something similar.
#10
When you get in the elevator with other people don't turn around to face the doors.
#11
When someone says something dumb and I don't want to debate them, I just say "yeah, I can see how someone like you would think that" and change the subject. Their insecurities fill in the blanks.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 4 hours ago
Then just ask them what they mean by that?
#12
I like to start a sentence with “l’m not racist, but “ and then say something completely bland and not racist at all. As an old white guy, most people are expecting me to say something racist.
Apatheist Account2 4 hours ago
As an old white guy, these days almost anything you say gets interpreted as racist or some other "ist".
At the same time, we feel the responsibility to say that you should be wary when using any of these tricks – make sure it’s the proper time and place to utilize them and that someone won’t end up hurt.
For example, it’s better to use them to tease your friends than to torment someone. Ultimately, teasing your friends is a form of affection, knowing they won’t be too upset about it, but someone not so close to you might interpret it as bullying. And we don’t have to tell you that bullying is bad, do we?
So, don’t hesitate to have fun with what you learn here, but remain mindful of its potential harm.
Do you know any useful psychological tricks? Please share with us in the comments!
#13
Look at someones forehead a couple of times in a really short time when they’re talking to you!
#14
If a tennis opponent is annoying me, I'll ask if they inhale or exhale as they go to serve. No one knows what they do and it gets them thinking about it.
UncleJohn3000 5 hours ago
The timing has to be exquisite but I once brought an entire competition to a 5-10 minute halt by quietly uttering, "Whatever you do, do not picture Oprah naked." People got hurt laughing.
#15
My friend will randomly say things that sound racist but really aren’t.
Something like “Man I’m hungry. I feel like a Cuban who just changed his toilet paper roll.”
“Man I’m thirsty. I feel like a Canadian who just bought some new cologne”.
I know him well enough to know he is just saying random c**p… but when people first meet him it’s hilarious to watch their expressions. Some people get offended for whatever random country he chose and they really can’t express why.
setsuriseikou 5 hours ago
Well thanks, now I can't sleep wondering what those things feel like! Any Cuban or Canadian pandas willing to share?
#16
When someone insults you, reply with a very curious face “are you ok” lmao I heard about this one recently.
#17
When you're talking to someone who's being a prick tell them they have something stuck in their teeth... "nope, it's still there" "no, still there" shuts them down fast af.
#18
The "gray rock" method: remain completely neutral and unemotional, driving them crazy with indifference.
#19
I've found that simply smiling at someone can really change the vibe of a conversation. It's amazing how a little positivity can make all the difference.
#20
Ask if they want to hear a knock knock joke.
If they say yes, ask them to start you off.
They'll say "knock knock"
You say "who's there?"
They didn't plan this far ahead.
#21
Ok here’s a good one, so let’s say you’re talking to someone who’s guarded. They clam up and don’t say much or respond minimally.
Humans want to be understood. They also want to avoid being misunderstood. So, when someone gives a shallow answer, you repeat back that last word. They will elaborate to clear up confusion.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 3 hours ago
No,not always. If I've only just, or recently met you,you only hear what I want. Try pushing, and I will shut you down.
#22
When someone gives you a direct criticism, reply with “what are you implying?”.
#23
If you want to get something out of someone, let them do most of the talking while asking mostly questions, and only respond to the parts they talk about that get you to your goal. You'll still be engaged in the conversation, but people tend to forget about most of what they say if one thing becomes the final point of the conversation. Basically, lead the other person from behind. The trick is subtlety.
#24
I purposely misspell one word in every sentence I write.
#25
Once a week turn down someone's mouse sensitivity by one notch until eventually it's the slowest.
#26
Start a sentence then stop midway and say, “Never mind”.
#27
One boss I had would never answer you immediately, he'd always take a moment to think about what he was going to say like there is no way he's going to be rushed into any decision. it made him appear very organized and sure of himself.
Had another boss that you'd knock on his glass door, and he'd always wait a moment before waving you in even when he wasn't doing anything. This made him look more like a d**k, but he kinda was.
Apatheist Account2 4 hours ago
From the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin: "One, two, three, four, make them sweat outside the door, five, six, seven, eight, always pays to make them wait. Come!"
#28
Silence. Its a very effective interview technique, because as humans we are conditioned to break silences in conversations.
#29
Aska a family member/roommate "Have you seen our toothbrush?".
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 3 hours ago
"Not since I cleaned the toilet with it after that diarrhoea."
#31
Start sniffing in the middle of their statement. Don't mention anything. Just look around and keep sniffing. It's the most unnerving thing. You can do it to ANYONE and you'll immediately mess with them.
#32
I used to leave the building everyday of the week and say "Have a good weekend everyone" that used to drive people mad.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 3 hours ago
No, they just thought that you were a tedious t****r.
#33
Angry eyebrows no matter the subject lol.
#34
Okay, so this is more of a harmless one, but it can totally mess with someone in a playful way. If you’re talking to someone and you subtly start mirroring their body language like crossing your arms when they do or leaning in when they do it creates this weird sense of connection without them realizing it. But then, if you suddenly stop and do something completely opposite, like slouching when they’re sitting upright, it can make them feel slightly off-balance or confused without knowing why. It’s subtle, but it definitely throws them off their rhythm in the moment. 🤷♀️.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 3 hours ago
If someone crosses their arms while you're talking to them, unless they're cold, they're telling you to fűck off.
#35
Nod your head when asking someone for something or suggesting something. The combination of nodding while talking makes them much more agreeable to what you're saying or asking.
#36
When you are having a conversation with someone about, say, turtles, change the subject by saying "speaking of turtles..." then something completely different, like "did you hear Bob and Emily are back together?" It will confuse the c**p out of them!
What do you think ?
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