8 Psychological Tricks That Actually Work

Summary

In this informative video, Psych2Goers explore eight effective psychological tricks that can influence people's behavior. These include using personal names to grab attention, offering objects during conversations, using the Pavlov Theory with gum for memory recall, employing cognitive dissonance for personal growth, applying the door-in-the-face technique to negotiate, taking advantage of exhaustion to persuade, mirroring others to make friends, and nodding to encourage agreement. The video emphasizes ethical use of these tactics, reminding viewers that they can be powerful tools for positive change.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Use personal names in conversations to grab attention and redirect focus.
• 🤲 Hand someone an object during a conversation to make them more likely to take it.
• 🍃 Apply Pavlov's Theory by chewing gum during study sessions to improve exam performance.
• 🌟 Visualize yourself in your desired future state to help align your behaviors with your goals.
• 🚪 Employ the 'door-in-the-face' technique by first asking for a big favor and then switching to a smaller one.
• 😴 Ask for favors when the other person is exhausted to increase the chances of compliance.
• 🔄 Mirror others' movements and gestures, known as the Chameleon Effect, to facilitate social connections.
• 👍 Nod your head while speaking to increase the likelihood of others agreeing with your points.
• 💡 Psychological tricks can be effective, but should be used responsibly and ethically.
• 📚 Be aware that these psychological techniques can be used by others on you as well.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the psychological tricks discussed in the video?

The primary purpose of the psychological tricks discussed in the video is to help individuals become more persuasive and influential in various social situations, as well as to improve their mental performance and achieve personal goals.

How does calling someone by their name during a conversation affect them?

Calling someone by their name during a conversation can grab their attention and redirect the focus back to the speaker or the person being addressed. It's an effective way to ensure that the listener is engaged and present in the interaction.

What is the significance of handing someone an object while in mid-conversation?

Handing someone an object during a conversation can cause them to automatically take it, even if they were not initially willing to help or engage with the speaker. This is because people tend to respond to physical actions without breaking their narrative or thought process.

How does the Pavlov Theory relate to chewing gum during an exam?

The Pavlov Theory, which involves conditioning a response to a stimulus, suggests that chewing a specific flavor of gum during study sessions can help associate that taste with the information being studied. When chewing the same gum during an exam, it may trigger the memory of the studied material, potentially improving test performance.

What is cognitive dissonance and how can it be used to one's advantage?

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory that describes the mental discomfort experienced when a person's actions do not align with their beliefs. By imagining oneself as already embodying the desired behavior or belief, one can use cognitive dissonance to motivate change and align their actions with their goals.

What is the door-in-the-face technique and how does it work?

The door-in-the-face technique is a psychological strategy where a person initially asks for a large favor that is likely to be refused, and then follows up with a smaller request. The contrast makes the smaller request seem more reasonable, increasing the likelihood of it being accepted.

Why are people more likely to agree to requests when they are exhausted?

When people are exhausted, they are more susceptible to persuasion and are more likely to give in to requests because their mental and physical energy is low, making them less resistant to external influences.

What is the Chameleon Effect and how can it help in making friends?

The Chameleon Effect is a psychological phenomenon where people unconsciously mimic the body language, gestures, and facial expressions of others. By mirroring someone's actions, one can create a sense of similarity and rapport, which can make others more open to forming a friendship.

How can nodding while speaking influence the listener's agreement?

Nodding while speaking can create a subconscious cue for the listener to agree with the speaker. According to a study published in the Applied Psychology Journal, this nonverbal cue can increase the likelihood of the listener agreeing with the speaker's points.

What ethical considerations should be taken into account when using psychological tricks?

It is important to use psychological tricks responsibly and ethically, ensuring that they are not manipulative or harmful. As the video mentions, with great power comes great responsibility, so these techniques should be used for good and with the awareness that others may also use them.

What are some practical applications of the psychological tricks mentioned in the video?

The psychological tricks can be applied in various situations such as persuading friends to help with tasks, improving study habits for exams, motivating oneself to align actions with goals, negotiating favors, building rapport in social settings, and enhancing communication skills to gain agreement on certain points.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Introduction and Psychological Persuasion

The video begins with a light musical introduction and a warm welcome from Amanda, the host of the Psych2Go channel. She expresses gratitude for the ongoing support that helps make psychology and mental health topics more accessible. Amanda then introduces the topic of the video: psychological tricks that can influence people's behavior. She explains that friends might use these tricks to persuade others, and the video will explore eight such effective psychological tactics. The first trick discussed is the power of using someone's name during a conversation to grab their attention and redirect the discussion. This tactic is commonly used by teachers to refocus students and can also be used in social interactions to add charisma. The second trick involves handing someone an object during a conversation, which often leads them to accept it without question. The third trick is the Pavlov Theory, suggesting that chewing gum during study sessions and exams can improve performance by creating a conditioned response. The fourth trick is using cognitive dissonance to imagine oneself as the person they wish to be, aligning behaviors with goals and potentially changing habits. The video encourages viewers to use these tricks responsibly and to be aware that others might use them as well.

05:01

🐿️ Psychological Tricks for Requests and Social Interactions

This paragraph continues the discussion on psychological tricks, focusing on strategies for making requests and enhancing social interactions. The fifth trick, known as the door-in-the-face technique, involves initially asking for a big favor and then changing it to a smaller one, increasing the likelihood of a positive response. The sixth trick suggests asking for a favor when the other person is exhausted, as they are more likely to agree due to mental and physical fatigue. The seventh trick is the Chameleon Effect, where mirroring someone's movements and gestures can help establish rapport and make them more open to friendship. The eighth and final trick is nodding while speaking to encourage agreement and persuade others. The video concludes with a reminder to use these psychological tactics responsibly, likening it to Uncle Ben's advice about power and responsibility. Amanda invites viewers to share their thoughts in the comments and to like and share the video. She also encourages subscribing for more content and mentions that references and studies used in the video are available in the description.

Keywords

💡Psychological tricks

Psychological tricks refer to tactics or techniques that influence people's behavior or thinking without their conscious awareness. In the video, these tricks are used to persuade or gain compliance from others, such as calling someone by their name to grab their attention or using the door-in-the-face technique to get a smaller request granted after an initial larger request is denied.

💡Attention

Attention is the state of being aware of or focusing on specific information or stimuli. In the context of the video, attention is directed towards the speaker or the topic of conversation by using certain psychological tricks, such as calling someone's name or mirroring their gestures.

💡Pavlov Theory

The Pavlov Theory, also known as classical conditioning, is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a naturally occurring stimulus, eventually eliciting the same response. In the video, it is suggested that chewing gum during study sessions can create an association with the material, potentially improving test performance.

💡Cognitive dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory that describes the mental discomfort experienced when a person's beliefs or values conflict with their actions. The video suggests using this discomfort as a motivator for positive change, by imagining oneself as already aligned with desired behaviors or attitudes.

💡Door-in-the-face technique

The door-in-the-face technique is a persuasion method where a large request is made first, which is expected to be refused, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request. The contrast makes the second request seem more acceptable, increasing the likelihood of compliance.

💡Chameleon Effect

The Chameleon Effect is a psychological phenomenon where people unconsciously mimic the body language, gestures, and facial expressions of others, which can lead to increased rapport and liking. In the video, mirroring someone's movements is suggested as a way to make friends or build trust.

💡Nodding

Nodding is a non-verbal form of communication that can indicate agreement, understanding, or encouragement. In the context of the video, nodding while speaking is suggested to increase the likelihood of others agreeing with your points or requests.

💡Influence

Influence refers to the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something. In the video, influence is achieved through various psychological tricks that persuade others to comply with requests or change their behavior.

💡Persuasion

Persuasion is the process of changing or reinforcing attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors of a person or group through communication, often to achieve a particular outcome. The video outlines several psychological tactics designed to persuade others to do something they might not initially agree to.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to an individual's established set of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that shape their perception, decision-making, and overall approach to situations. In the video, changing one's mindset to align with desired goals is suggested as a strategy for personal growth and behavior change.

💡Responsibility

Responsibility refers to the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone. In the context of the video, it is a reminder to use psychological tricks ethically, as these tactics can influence people's decisions and actions.

Highlights

Psychological tricks can influence people's behavior without them realizing.

Using someone's name during a conversation can grab their attention and redirect the discussion.

Handing someone an object during mid-conversation can make them take it without questioning.

Chewing gum during study sessions can help associate the flavor with the information, potentially improving test scores.

The Pavlov Theory suggests that conditioning can be used to improve memory recall during exams.

Cognitive dissonance can be used to motivate personal change by imagining oneself as the desired future self.

Asking for a big favor and then changing it to a smaller one, known as the door-in-the-face technique, can increase the likelihood of getting what you want.

People are more likely to agree to requests when they are exhausted, due to mental or physical fatigue.

Mirroring someone's movements and gestures, known as the Chameleon Effect, can help in making friends.

Nodding while discussing a point can make others more likely to agree with you.

Psychological tricks should be used responsibly, as others may use them on you as well.

Teachers often use the power of names to keep students focused during lectures.

The act of handing an object during a conversation can lead to an unconscious acceptance.

Associating a gum flavor with study material through conditioning can aid in memory retention.

Imagining oneself as the ideal future self can help align behavior with goals, reducing cognitive dissonance.

The door-in-the-face technique is a psychological strategy to increase the chances of getting a smaller request granted.

Exhaustion can make individuals more susceptible to persuasion and influence.

The Chameleon Effect suggests that mirroring can foster a sense of similarity and openness.

Nodding while speaking can subconsciously influence others to agree with your points.

Transcripts

(light music)

- [Amanda] Hey, Psych2Goers.

Welcome back to our channel.

Did you know that your ongoing support

is what helps us make psychology and mental health

more accessible to everyone?

Well, it's true.

And we are so grateful

for all of the love that you've given us.

Thank you so much.

Now, let's continue.

Have you ever found yourself

agreeing to certain favors

you thought you would never agree to?

or perhaps you found yourself

in situations you swore you'd never be in.

But somehow you were successfully

persuaded by your friends.

Your friends may have used some psychological tricks

to get you to do what they want

or they're just really persuasive and nice.

But now you might be thinking,

what kind of psychological tricks actually work.

Some of these tricks are cleverly

used by teachers, psychologists,

and maybe even your friends.

So, here are eight psychological checks

that actually work.

Number one, call them by their name.

People love it

when you talk about them.

Well, most of the time.

When you say someone's name

mid-sentence in a conversation with them,

it's a great way to grab their attention

and redirect the conversation back to you or them.

Have you ever noticed as a child

when a teacher would say your name

in the middle of a lecture?

That's because when you hear your own name,

it grabs your attention

and pulls you back to the present.

School teachers don't want

their students to be distracted,

so they say their students' names

to bring them back to the discussion at hand.

This same tactic goes for making someone notice you.

While in conversation with someone you admire,

try saying their name often

and at the beginning or end of the question.

This will grab their attention

and add some charisma to your regular conversations.

Number two, hand someone something

while in mid-conversation.

Here's a fun trick.

Let's say you really need help carrying something

up to your room,

but your pesky brother

isn't interested in helping you.

In order to get his help,

try handing him the object

while in mid-conversation with him.

For some bizarre reason,

when people are in the middle of telling a story

or engaged in deep conversation,

they'll generally take anything

you reach out and hand them.

Go ahead, try it out next time.

Eating a banana?

Randomly hand over your banana peel

while you discuss with them

the complexities of life

and the stirring of the planets.

They'll probably take it from you

without any question.

Number three, practice the Pavlov Theory

by chewing gum during an exam.

Believe it or not,

bubble gum may just help you ace your next big exam.

Uh, what?

How on earth will chewing gum improve your test scores?

If you really need to ace that next exam,

you might want to find a distinct flavor of gum

and start chewing it during your study sessions.

Then when you finally take the exam,

you'll have conditioned yourself

to associate that flavor of gum

with the information you studied for the test.

And it may just help you remember

the information during the test.

This is a form of conditioning

that started from the Pavlovian Theory.

According to Husson University Online,

the Pavlovian Theory is learning procedure

that involves pairing a stimulus

with a conditioned response.

In the now famous experiments

that Ivan Pavlov conducted with his dogs,

he demonstrated how the presence

of a bowl of dog food, the stimulus,

would trigger an unconditioned response, salivation,

in the dogs.

So next time you're studying for a test,

bring out the bubble gum and get chewing.

It may just earn you that A+.

Number four, try imagining you're

where you want to be in life.

This is one psychological trick

that can really help you

if you use it correctly,

using a form of cognitive dissonance to benefit you.

Try changing your mindset

to the person you want to be.

According to Medical News Today,

cognitive dissonance is a theory

in social psychology

that refers to the mental conflict

that occurs when a person's

behaviors and beliefs do not align.

But instead of experiencing that discomfort,

try using cognitive dissonance

to motivate change within you.

If you can't get your behavior

to align with your goals,

try convincing your mind

that you are already someone

who is actively working on those goals.

Let's say you have a habit

of spending too much money

and that you're a bit of a shopaholic.

If you want to move past this habit,

try to tell yourself

that you just aren't the type of person

who likes shopping a lot

and that it's not your thing.

Changing your mindset could possibly

change your actions

if you really work at it.

Or perhaps you're feeling a bit sad

and always look at the negative in most situations.

Although it is important

not to suppress your emotions,

try to imagine yourself as a person

who always looks on the bright side

and you may be inclined

to start seeing the good

during your grumpy days.

Try using cognitive dissonance

to your advantage by imagining

that you're where you want to be in life.

Changing your mindset

to the person you want to be

may set you on the path

to actually becoming them.

Number five, ask for a big favor,

then change it to a smaller one.

Imagine this, you really want that adorable chinchilla

you've been eyeing in the pet shop window.

You pass by the pet store every day

on your way home from school

and the chinchilla's just there

staring you down with his cute little beady eyes.

Your birthday is coming up

and you don't have the cash

to buy him for yourself,

but you've already decided

that you want to name him Giblets.

Well, if you want to use

a psychological trick to your advantage,

try asking your parents for a dog first.

Wait, what?

But you don't want a dog?

You want Giblets the chinchilla?

Yes, but if you ask your parents

for a big favor first,

they're bound to say no.

If you change it later

to a favor that is smaller,

they're less inclined to deny you.

In psychology, this technique is called

the door-in-the-face technique

and can be used in many situations.

If you desperately need 20 bucks,

but you know your friend

doesn't like to lend you a lot of money,

try asking for 50 instead.

20 bucks seems like a lot less

now in comparison.

You and Giblets are now living splendidly.

Number six, ask for a favor when someone is exhausted.

This is another sneaky psychological trick.

Say your friend really needed to crash at your house.

You're definitely busy

and have spent the whole night

binge watching The Office on Netflix.

You just really can't let them stay the night

and you've made up your mind to tell them no.

But then your friend suddenly comes

knocking at your door in the middle the night.

Somehow you've now let them in

and told them they can stay the night.

You gave in because you were exhausted

and too tired to say no to their pleas.

According to several studies,

people are more likely to be influenced

to do something they initially didn't want to do

when they're tired.

You are mentally exhausted as well as physically.

And you really didn't want to be up that late

arguing with your friend.

You would have done anything

to have the situation over with

so you could get some rest.

Number seven, mirror others to help you make friends.

Are you having a hard time

making friends at school?

Without having to change

anything about who you are,

try mirroring the other person's

movements and gestures,

and they may just be more open

to getting to know you.

This kind of mirroring is called the Chameleon Effect

and has been explored in further studies.

If someone thinks that you're like them,

they may be more willing to be your friend.

So someone could be mirroring you subconsciously

to lure you in and gain your trust

or, most likely, I want to be your friend.

And number eight, nod your head

if you want someone to agree with you.

Have you ever needed someone to agree

with a pitch you were making at work?

Or perhaps you really want it to persuade someone

to agree with you on a subject

you just know they would understand

if they open their mind up to it.

Like, okay, they just really need

to watch The Office on Netflix.

If they just understood this point you're making

and agreed with it,

they'd likely want to watch it.

Try nodding while you're discussing a point

You want someone to agree with.

According to a 1980s study

published in the Applied Psychology Journal,

psychologists found that when others

nod while listening to someone,

they're more likely to agree with them.

You may even find yourself subconsciously nodding

to someone's intense story

because they are too.

So what did you think of these psychological tricks?

Remember, like what uncle Ben said,

"With great power comes great responsibility."

So only use these for good

and be aware that others may be using them on you too.

Are you going to try any of them out?

Let us know in the comments below.

Please like and share this video

if you found it interesting

and want to share it with your friends.

The studies and references used

are listed in the description below.

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button

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Thanks for watching

and we'll see you next time.