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Know the appropriate tells in a romantic context. On a date, you want to ensure that the other person is also into you. Again, clusters are huge here. It’s very common for people (women especially) to be mistaken as interested when they’re just being sociable. So stay alert.- Watch for body language — are they leaning forward? Do they have relaxed body language (i.e. no crossed arms or tense shoulders)? These are good signs that the person feels comfortable and interested in you.
- On a date, try to see how much the other person is talking and how engaged they are in the conversation. If they are interested, they will lean forward, nod when you talk, and ask questions.
- Look for how much they’re smiling. If they seem tense and are not smiling during the entire date, it may mean that they feel uncomfortable.
- Long eye contact and dilated pupils can also indicate interest from your date.
- Reader Poll: We asked 3440 wikiHow readers, and 70% agreed that dilating pupils during eye contact is the hardest body language signal to pick up on when you’re figuring out whether or not someone is into you. [Take Poll] So if you’re struggling to read that cue, you’re not alone!
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Know the constructs of a job interview. Job interviews are nerve wracking and it can often be difficult to gauge how well one went. Keep an eye out for positive body language that means the interview is going well. But also know that in this context, both parties are on high alert for good impressions, so the data points you gather may not be accurate long-term.- Again, you will want to make sure that the interviewer is giving out positive body language like leaning in and asking questions. You want them to be revealing that they are interested in you and what you’re saying.
- If your interviewer is shuffling papers or checking his or her computer screen or phone, they may be losing interest. Try to recapture their attention if it seems that they are getting impatient or bored.
- When you are leaving, see how the interviewer says goodbye to you. Do they give you a firm handshake and genuine smile? These are good signs that mean that the interview went well.
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Detect a liar. One of the most common reasons why you would want to learn how to read someone is to see if they are lying. When observing someone to see if they are lying, you want to look for body language and cues that correlate with nervousness. Once more: clusters.- Check to see if someone’s voice changes, or if they suddenly change their body language. For example, if your spouse usually hugs you and touches you a lot but suddenly stops when you’re asking them about something, they may be lying.
- Do not mistake a person who looks to the side or doesn’t make eye contact for a liar because researchers have found no relation between making eye contact and lying.
- See if they stop using the word “I.” Research shows that sometimes when people want to distance themselves from a lie, they will avoid using the word “I” and will instead speak of themselves in the third person (example: “This guy loves a good football game.”).
- See if what they’re saying is too elaborate and detailed. Sometimes when people lie, they rehearse a whole story beforehand. If this is the case, watch out for a story that sounds rehearsed or over polished.
- They fidget and move around a lot. This is a dead giveaway that someone is nervous. If the person you’re talking to keeps moving around, tapping their foot, or chewing on a pencil, it may mean that they are lying.
- Look into their eyes. If their pupils grow bigger while saying something then it is a lie; that’s why most poker players wear sunglasses.
