Most of our friendships happen so naturally, we don't even realize how they started.
Sometimes, though, we want to make an effort to befriend a new acquaintance or to become a better friend to those around us.
We scoured the psychological research to find science-backed strategies to get people to like you.
Copy them.
This strategy is called mirroring, where you subtly mimic the other person's behavior. When talking to someone, try copying their body language, gestures, facial expressions, vocal tones, or even choice of words.
If your friend smiles, smile with them. If they love talking with their hands, talk with your hands as well. This will make the person you are talking to feel more comfortable and relaxed with you.
Be careful not to take this too far, though. If you make it obvious, it might turn people off.
Spend more time around them.
Known as the mere exposure effect, this psychological term means that people like things that are familiar to them. In an experiment by MIT psychologists, researchers found that those who lived closer together found themselves to be closer friends. This is because they can experience more passive, day-to-day interactions with each other — such as greeting each other in the common room or kitchen — so they feel more intimate.
Even if you don’t live near your friends, try sticking to a steady routine with them, such as going out for coffee every week or taking a class together.
Compliment other people.
People will associate the adjectives you use to describe other people with yourself. This phenomenon is called spontaneous trait transference.
According to Gretchen Rubin, author of "The Happiness Project,""Whatever you say about other people influences how people see you."
If you describe someone else as genuine and kind, people will also associate you with those qualities. The reverse is also true — if you are constantly trashing people behind their backs, your friends will start to associate the negative qualities with you as well.
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