Creepy Habits Untrustworthy People Have In Common
I contributed to this article in Bustle with my body language insights from my forthcoming book on Malignant Narcissism.
They don’t break eye contact
When it comes to manipulative people — see: sociopaths, narcissists, etc. may have a habit of staring intensely at others, and making creepy amounts of eye contact.
"They look at their target with [a] focused, intense gaze," body language expert Patti Wood, MA, tells Bustle, usually as a way to test boundaries. "They may do or say something uncomfortable right before or after the hypnotic gaze to test how the target responds."
To figure out if the situation really is unsafe, Wood says you should break eye contact or move away, and see how they react. If they get upset, or you feel a huge amount of relief, your intuition was likely correct.
They Dominate The Conversation
While some people just like to tell stories, manipulators will try to dominate entire conversations. "This 'over talking' involves auditory space invasion and other paralanguage factors that show they are in control," Wood says. "They are often quite charming and good storytellers, so it may be hypnotic to listen to them." But if you don't feel included, or can't get a word in, they are likely someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart.
Since narcissists tend to get really upset when things don't go their way, keep your eye out for shocking mood swings when interacting with others. As Wood says, "They can shift all their nonverbal behaviors in the blink of an eye and transform themselves."
This might include switching from really sweet, to super irritated a second later. Or they might morph into an entirely different "character" in order to get their way, Wood says. It can be so manipulative, you might not even realize it's happening until the person's already sucked you in.
But the moment you do, don't be afraid to reach out for help, or to leave the situation as soon as you can.
For more go to.https://www.bustle.com/p/11-creepy-habits-untrustworthy-people-have-in-common-16172440?fbclid=IwAR0VxXNrXeblWpKiqcOEnuKt6qst8bq5eZu5AYGjHt0uktJ81rVGPd54bC
Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.
