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The brain is a mysterious thing — one can easily crack it, not physically, but psychologically. Psychological tricks are like invisible bullets — able to pierce the workings of a brain without the physical damage. While the ethics of using psychology tricks are up for debate, no one is against learning a few. Tricking the mind takes time and patience. Charisma is usually required to pull off these tricks. Of course, you must remember that you could become the subject of some mind tricks too.
In this world, you are either a Frank Reynolds or Atticus Finch, meaning you either have a mind equal to Fort Knox or can resist the harshest mental tricks. In the Fort Knox situation, brain tricks pass through your brain like light through glass — freely and effectively. On the other hand, you might be like Atticus, calm and able to counter even the greatest of mind games. Of course, there are also the ones who start the tricks, who like the psychological manipulation of the mind, but they are usually just overall bad people.
Want to play an innocent mind game or two? Look no further than Reddit, especially AskReddit, where people share some of the best psychological games you can use on a person. Are they psychopathic or not — well, it’s up to you. If you need help, share the trick with a friend for additional insight. Either way, if you think a trick could trick you, be sure to upvote it for others to see. If you tried it or were on the receiving end — leave a comment below on how you dealt with it.
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#1
"Sometimes when my dog won’t eat his food I turn on the stove and act like I’m cooking it. I will grab random condiments from the fridge and fake pour them in. Nothing changes but now he wants it."
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#2
"When you're studying for an exam, try to study in multiple different settings (different rooms in your house, a library, outside, etc.) Multiple settings sets up more connections for your brain towards the material you're learning and you're more likely to remember it."
#3
"Compliment people behind their backs. Don’t do it in a manipulative way, genuinely compliment people and somehow it gets back around to them and it leads to them liking you."
#4
"If you need to get information from someone give them the wrong information. People are a lot more willing to correct you than help you."
#5
"Basically, don't try to defend your position when someone criticizes/gets mad/disagrees with you. Just shrug your shoulders and go on with your life."
#6
"If you feel like someone doesn't like you, ask them for advice on something about which they're more knowledgeable than you. This gets them into the mindset that they're on your side and they'll tend to view you more sympathetically."
#7
"Speak a little more quietly when you have something important to say. The other person will try harder to hear you."
#8
"I've noticed that people will let me do kind things for them if they think I'm doing it for selfish reasons. 'No, let me cook for you! I need to practice making this dish!'"
#9
"I am always surprised at how effective simple silence can be. Some people become so uncomfortable with it that they will simply tell you all kinds of things."
#10
"My kids never wanted to nap, so when it was nap time I'd tell them 'No napping, sorry, you may NOT take a nap.' Amazing how they'd immediately want to go take their naps, lol. It really did work."
#11
"You really don’t have to add much to be part of a conversation. Just occasionally repeating part of the other person’s sentences as a question can be more than enough to continue their momentum. I learned it in a negotiation masterclass."
#13
"Listening to someone without giving advice or pushing for more information typically nets me more information than being pushy for it."
#14
"I like to write positive affirmations on my bathroom mirror. It gets into my subconscious and really helps with my mental state during times of depression."
#15
"Some of the guys are just desperate for a compliment, so I thank them and positively reinforce anything I want them to keep doing. 'You're a champ dude, I saw you did all the dishes again. Solid effort.'"
#16
"My friend in high school told me that she did things around the house without being asked and her mom almost never said no to her. I tried it on my mom. I cleaned the kitchen before she got home from work. It only took me 20 minutes and it worked. No more curfew. I started doing it every day. My older brother couldn't figure out why he was only allowed to borrow dad's work van and I always got mom's convertible."
#17
"When people ask for advice I mentally walk them through various scenarios that might occur based on their actions or choices. Then I ask them which scenario they prefer. Because they made their own choice instead of being told what to do they have more determination to follow through."
#19
"If you're always locked in the endless cycle of figuring out what's for dinner with your significant other, instead of asking them what they want, ask them to guess what we're having. Whatever the answer is, tell them they were right and have that."
#20
"When someone says an inappropriate joke (sexist, racist, etc) tell them, 'I don’t get it.' Have them try to explain why it is funny. Sometimes it helps people have a moment of self-reflection and growth."
#21
"Whenever my wife asks me to do something I don’t want to do I’ll reply with 'That’s my favorite thing to do.' I suddenly don’t mind doing it, and just go do it."
#22
"The Andorra effect. Basically treating a person like they already behave like you would like them too. For example, being excited when you give someone a task because you totally believe they will do their very best makes them do so. Try it with bullies, it's magic. Treat them like they are nice people and they will be."
#23
"I use reverse psychology on my one dog when she refuses to come inside. We say 'Ok, bye Lucy' and slowly close the door, and then she comes running."
#25
"If you are talking to someone and just hand them something they will generally automatically take it and hold it."
#26
"Whenever someone is showing you around or demonstrating something to you, open your mouth ever so slightly. Doesn't have to be much, barely a centimeter is enough. It makes you look intrigued and fascinated by whatever it is you're been shown. Bill Clinton is an absolute master at this."
#27
"When dealing with an irrational customer who is angry I smile and sound chipper and happy. [end] them with kindness."
#28
"People are more likely to agree to do what you ask if you provide a reason, regardless of the validity of that reason. So if you say, 'Can you take out the trash because I don't feel like it right now' still better than just, 'Can you take out the trash.'"
#29
"Under-promising and over-delivering at work. I also work at a mental hospital and it works with the people I work with."
#30
"Tell people to fake laugh for a photo. Then wait for the real laugh because they feel silly fake laughing."
#32
"Replace 'have to' with 'get to' in a sentence. Not 'I have to go to the store', but 'I get to go to the store.' Puts a positive outlook on different things."
#33
"Say someone's name in that first conversation when you meet them. People really like hearing their name, so it leaves a good impression, and it helps you remember their name."
#34
"I request things in writing. You want me to do what? Yeah, let me get that written down in an e-mail for scoping purposes and to loop in my managers. Once I see your e-mail I'll be in touch with any questions/challenges and then I'll get started. The e-mail never comes."
#35
"Always when someone says something weird, mean, or offending, I pretend like I didn’t hear it. So they have to consciously repeat the thing they said. Often they will never repeat it because they’re all of the sudden aware of what they said, if they do repeat it, I immediately know the person in front of me is actually mean."
#37
"Usually if someone asks me to decide between two choices they actually want to do the first one."
#38
"If you’re leading the meeting on a project, you tend to want to fill every moment of silence, even if people from other subject areas should be answering for certain things (obstacles to a deadline being met, etc.) Sometimes you just have to let it be awkward for a minute and wait for the right person to speak up."
#39
"If you forget someone's name, say 'What's your name again?' They'll look insulted and say their name. Then you say, 'No, I meant your last name.' Awkward, but not as awkward as calling someone 'Hey, man' forever."
#40
"When I want my boss or someone else to like me and I've got time, I get them a warm beverage. Holding something warm in your hands gives you the fuzzies, and I like people thinking of me that way. Coffee meetings are the best setup for this. This was how I trained a belligerent supervisor to be nicer to me - by buying her a coffee at the start of my shift. It was $3 of my paycheck for 7 hours of peace and I regularly got shifts on the roster. Worth it."
#42
"Nodding your head while speaking (slightly, don't overdo it) will get people to subconsciously agree with what you're saying, or at least think of you as a friendly, agreeable person."
#43
"Creating value through absence. There are days when I just don't give any advice, and keep my mouth shut and speak when spoken to. That often leads people into thinking I provide valuable info whenever I open my mouth. Other days, they just come to me for problem-solving because they suddenly remember I can help them out too! That means I'm the person who they can always rely on, and I create my value!"
#44
"Subtly hinting about things I'd like people to do until they come up with the idea by themselves. Works like a charm."
#45
"Confidence posing. Taking a strong, confident pose can do wonders for you if you're feeling a bit nervous or insecure."
#46
"Positive reinforcement. Once you start telling people that you like something about them (obviously in a respectful and honest way) you can't stop. I don't go full obnoxious with it but at least it helps establish that if you want to have a negative conversation about stuff you hate, you're not the best crowd for it."
#48
"People engaged in conversation will tend to follow the other party if they start walking. I wrap up unwanted conversations at work by literally leading people either back to their desk or to another person in a common area."
#49
"I talk to strangers like they're a friend I haven't seen in a while. It's mostly a tonality thing and gets instant rapport, especially with people that aren't used to it in their environment - store cashiers, waitresses, etc."
#50
"Basically, let's say I'm a kid who wants to play iPad, but my parent doesn't want me to, so I would say 'Can I play iPad for 10 mins', instead of 'Can I play iPad.' Works surprisingly well in some scenarios."
#51
"When people are yelling and I need them to listen I speak in a softer tone. People will always try and shout over you if you shout. If you start speaking calmly and softly the other person tends to quiet to listen."
#52
"If you want somebody to stop talking, just say their name and they will stop in their tracks. This gives you the opportunity to wrap it up 'I'd love to hear the rest of this story but I'm late for a meeting, can we pick up later?'"
#53
"Not being always available increases your perceived value among people, and they tend to miss you a lot more, than if you were there all the time."
#54
"I always smile when I see/approach/get approached by anyone so they immediately think I’m happy to see them - makes me a lot of friends and helps conversations start better too!"
#56
"Extreme neutrality, non-committal, and poker face when someone is clearly looking for excuses to be upset/offended/angry/etc."
#57
"If I don't want to talk to people I turn my feet and hips away from them. Sometimes they get the hint. Checking my phone as if I'm expecting a call is usually my cue for 'got to run!' and head off."
#58
"When I am trying to convince someone of an idea, I like to make them think it's theirs. This is especially effective for people who like getting their ego stroked."
#59
"Externally, at work with new hires - try to work in a joke that pokes fun at myself. It helps the new folks feel that they can relax and talk more freely."
#61
"If you’re always late for work, and your supervisor is [rear] about it start thanking them for being patient and complimenting them on how accommodating and understanding they are. They’ll start going out of their way to accommodate you more."
#62
"Lower the volume of your voice when other people are getting upset. They will need to be quieter to listen to you, and will feel awkward yelling if you aren't yelling back."
#63
"If you're talking to somebody, mimic their facial reactions to the conversation. Smile when they do, crease your brow when they do, etc. You have to work to make it seem natural and not like you're purposefully imitating them, but if you pull it off they'll walk away thinking better of you than otherwise."
#64
"Instead of asking 'Do you want to buy this?', I ask 'What would stop you from agreeing to purchase this today?' Giving a reason for the 'no' is a lot harder than just saying 'no' straightaway."
#67
"I really like asking people the time right after they have checked it... most of them will check again."
#68
"When I'm having a deep/intense conversation with someone, and they're divulging things to me, I make sure my face doesn't react and just listen. I ask questions based on the information, many of them leading questions, and let them come to their own conclusions as to what to do about the situation."
#69
"Walking towards someone, look where you want to go and they'll move away. But more likely they will move to their right."
#70
"When you're talking to someone but don't want to keep talking, randomly look at the middle of their forehead, as if they have something. That will unconsciously make him feel uncomfortable and it may end the conversation. I use it all the time with people with whom I am not necessarily excited about their existence."
#71
"When you're annoyed with someone just agree. Doesn't matter what they're saying, just agree. They run out of steam quickly when you don't fuel the fire."
#72
"When people want me to do them a favor that includes a lot of work, I ask them to do a small part to get it started. They always just give up and leave me alone."
#73
"If you want to leave an awkward conversation tell the person something such as, 'I wouldn’t want to use up any more of your time.'"
#74
"Using quantitative data rather than a vague adjective to convince people. Even if you're making up a number or percentage, they're 83% more likely to believe you."
#77
"Insert an embarrassing story when you tell a lie. People will have the tendency to believe your lie more."
#78
"Match people’s poses and postures. People tend to do this automatically when they are in agreement. It makes conversations more amiable, just a smidge. Similarly, look at their body language to see if that person is vibing with you."
#80
"I came to a job interview in flip flops and a 'Rick and Morty' shirt the other day fully expecting to be turned away. I was brutally honest about my skills and demands. I'm starting Monday. Not exactly a psych trick but having an aura of this is what I am like, and this is exactly who you are hiring disarms people."
#81
"If I ask a question and the person answers but blinks then looks away, or touches the back of their neck, I know they’re lying."
#82
"Do small easy inexpensive favors for people around, so when you need a big favor they'll feel obligated to help you."
#83
"If someone asks you to do something and you don’t want to do it, do a bad job first time and you won’t get asked to do it again. I’ve used that trick the past 10 years and works every time."
#84
"Treating people the way they treat me and seeing how they respond to that. Some people don't realize how they sound, so you have to be a mirror for them, so they'll see firsthand how they act."
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