Our minds are magical. You can do anything you set your mind to. You can make up your mind, change your mind, or be in two minds. Something can be on our mind, be kept in mind, or slip our mind. Our minds can also go blank, or we can choose to take our minds off something. They can also be blown, bent, or boggled. And yet, despite all that, there’s still plenty we don’t fully understand about how they work.
That’s partly what makes the psychological tricks we’ve selected from a thread started by u/Organic_Guitar5266 so fascinating. Sure, most of them are sneaky, a little on the “dark” side, and involve genuinely messing with people. But many also reveal some of the strange little quirks and blind spots that influence how we think, see, and behave.
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#41
I can make my pupils really big on command. It’s some weird thing.
So I’ll be having a conversation both looking at each other and slowly I’ll begin to increase the size of my pupils until it’s at the max and the person I’m speaking to will kinda stop the conversation and be all like ummm what?
So I’ll be having a conversation both looking at each other and slowly I’ll begin to increase the size of my pupils until it’s at the max and the person I’m speaking to will kinda stop the conversation and be all like ummm what?
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2points
#42
If you turn your head to look at something people tend to mimic your behavior to see what you are looking at. It's instinctual. So I will look at random emptiness and if people look at where I am looking I ask "Do you see that?" When they say "No" I reply "I gotta take my meds." or something similar. Some people have lively reactions. It's fun to mess with people's heads.
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2points
#43
When disagreeing with someone, try replacing "but" with "and".
It is remarkably disarming/disconcerting when the person you are arguing with stops arguing with you and you don't realize it.
It is remarkably disarming/disconcerting when the person you are arguing with stops arguing with you and you don't realize it.
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2points
#45
Kind of psychological.. Pin a spread out banknote to a dartboard over the bullseye
Tell someone if they hit it 3/3 times, they keep it. if they lose they owe you the equivalent amount
1st shot: they stand the standard distance away
2nd shot: they take a large step forward
3rd shot: they take 2 large steps backwards
Sounds easy, but most will fail miserably.
Tell someone if they hit it 3/3 times, they keep it. if they lose they owe you the equivalent amount
1st shot: they stand the standard distance away
2nd shot: they take a large step forward
3rd shot: they take 2 large steps backwards
Sounds easy, but most will fail miserably.
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2points
#46
The German Stasi used to break into dissidents houses and move all their furniture just like an inch in one direction to mess with them.
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2points
#47
What does Y-E-S spell?
“Yes”
What does E-Y-E-S spell?
Most of the time they’ll say e-yes, it worked on my wife and I busted out laughing. It took her a solid 5 minutes and called me a jerk.
“Yes”
What does E-Y-E-S spell?
Most of the time they’ll say e-yes, it worked on my wife and I busted out laughing. It took her a solid 5 minutes and called me a jerk.
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2points
#49
Tell your family you're going to get cigarettes, and then never come back. Psychologically messed them up good.
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1point
#50
If you're close quartered with someone, you can intentionally choose one word out of the lexicon to mispronounce. Swear up and down that your way IS the correct way, and the correct way is actually the wrong but popular version. After months of intentionally mispronouncing the word "shrimp" my mother now says "Skrimp"
Its been 2 years and I can't undo this help.
Its been 2 years and I can't undo this help.
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1point
#51
Adding "real quick" to the end of a request adds a sense of urgency that compels people to do whatever you tell them. Example: "Darry, give me your wallet real quick", and before you know it, Darry hands you his wallet.
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1point
#52
With zero context, ask someone “who did they tell you that to?” Then just watch as pure confusion washes over their face. The sentence means literally nothing and it is fantastic.
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1point
#53
It's been proven that people will stand in a long queue. Even if they have no idea what it is for. People do it all the time at festivals and things. Start a queue with your friends in front of a trash bin or something innocuous. Then everyone just casually walks away after a load of people not in on the joke join the end of the queue.
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1point
#55
When talking to them, look barely above or below their eyes - not into them.
Call them a slightly different variation of their name and never fix it when corrected.
Part your hair to a different side (only works if you see them daily).
Call them a slightly different variation of their name and never fix it when corrected.
Part your hair to a different side (only works if you see them daily).
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1point
#56
Ask a group of friends to think of any number between 1 and 10 individually.
Get them to say the number out loud all at the same time.
Normally they would all say something different and you can just laugh it off as a mistake...
...or they could all say the exact same number (and it totally freaks everyone out). It's just chance - but if it works they will be completely psyched out!
Get them to say the number out loud all at the same time.
Normally they would all say something different and you can just laugh it off as a mistake...
...or they could all say the exact same number (and it totally freaks everyone out). It's just chance - but if it works they will be completely psyched out!
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1point
#57
Ask someone “what word is spelt S-H-O-P?” They’ll say “shop” then ask them what you do at a green light.
This works way better than the whole “say stop 5 times” etc. Try it :).
This works way better than the whole “say stop 5 times” etc. Try it :).
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1point
#58
Give someone a sincere compliment during an argument.
If they are decent people, It'll throw them off guard. They will then feel inclined to be more pliable.
If they are decent people, It'll throw them off guard. They will then feel inclined to be more pliable.
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1point
#60
If you're annoyed that someone is staring at you stare back. Hold eye contact and don't let go. If they're still staring even after this *shoot them a kiss*, usually gets them to look away.
Edit: This works better on the same gender
u/klop422 also recommended trying winks as well.
A wink and a kiss, I don't know who could keep a straight face.
Edit: This works better on the same gender
u/klop422 also recommended trying winks as well.
A wink and a kiss, I don't know who could keep a straight face.
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1point