Many friendships develop naturally, but others need conscious efforts to befriend a new acquaintance or become a better friend to existing pals. To be a likable person that charms people, you can apply mirroring, subliminal touching, smiling, and letting that other person talk about themselves.
Despite of differences, humans are more alike than most people have been conditioned to believe. People can be in denial, but most of us are concerned about what others think of us and want to be liked, which rings true when you join the society in the working world.
A shy and uncomfortable one or a seasoned extrovert can make use of science-backed tips for their professional and personal life.
1. Make note of the other person's eye color.
The color of their eyes is not important but by taking a moment to look and identify its color, you will be giving an adequate amount of eye contact.
You will learn to estimate the right amount of eye contact in social situations, such that too much is creepy and uncomfortable and not enough makes us seem shifty and untrustworthy.
2. Casually touch them.
Casual touch is a powerful catalyst of trust building as demonstrated by many curious and sometimes provocative studies.
However, keep in mind social and cultural norms as touch is less likely to have any beneficial effects if you violate personal boundaries.
3. Spend regular time with people you hope to form bonds with.
The mere-exposure effect indicates that people are wont to liking other people who they are used to or are familiar to them.
In a study, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh had four women pose as students in a college psychology class. The women came to class in different numbers of times. When the experimenters revealed to male students pictures of the four women, the men demonstrated a greater affinity for those women showed up in class more often.
4. Be in a great mood.
"Emotional contagion" is what transpires when people are influenced by the moods of other people. According to a study from the Ohio University and the University of Hawaii, people can unconsciously feel the emotions of those around them.
Make a note to communicate positive vibes and not be a Debbie Downer.
5. Don't compliment them all the time.
The gain-loss theory of interpersonal attractiveness indicates that your positive comments are impactful if you deliver them only occasionally.
In their 1956 study, University of Minnesota researchers wrote how this theory might work in practice. The scientists concluded that students liked their partners best when the comments went from positive to negative, suggesting that people like to feel that they have won you over in some capacity.
6. Have a sense of humor.
Many people think that a sense of humor is a rare gift and they don't possess the talent. But having a good sense of humor is a skill that can be learned.
But keep context in mind. There are instances when people love to laugh and there are times people need to be serious.
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