We try our best not to, but our brains are hardwired to judge other people. The smelly guy on the subway. The lady pushing her stroller across a busy intersection. We either judge them in secret or out loud. It happens nearly every day. And if you’re judging someone, chances are that others will judge your personality, too.
Others Judge Your Personality by How You Treat Strangers
Something people judge your personality on is how you treat strangers. Think about how you treated the waiter at the restaurant last night. Did you throw a fit that they were out of your favorite dessert or that spilled water on you? Or, did you talk to him politely when you asked for extra napkins and asked him to break your twenty dollar bill? How you treat someone you don’t know says loads of how you treat someone in general. People assume that if you yell at the waiter you yell at the taxi cab driver, the dry cleaner, and the cashier at the grocery store, that you are likely to treat them the same way and might indicate characteristics of a toxic person.
Others Notice When You’re Not Being Present
Checking your phone too often may often cause a person to judge you. If you’re in the middle of a conversation, it shows disrespect to the other person to pull your phone out. You’re essentially saying that others are not of any importance; their face-to-face interaction does not mean that much to you. It also tells them a lot of your attention and your listening skills. Are you really hearing what they’re saying if you’re checking social media?
People Judge Your Personality for Being Late
A person’s tardiness also causes people to judge them. Showing up late shows lack of respect to the person that is waiting on you. It tells them that you like to procrastinate or that you’re disinterested. They may also think that you’re lazy or don’t take them seriously. If you don’t want people to think this of you, plan on showing up at least 5-10 minutes early. This shows the other person that you can be prompt and that you care about what they have to say.
Eye contact is also a big factor. When someone talks to you, it’s polite to look in their eyes. Not doing this could mean that you’re disinterested in the person or that you don’t care about the conversation. It could also indicate that you are shy or embarrassed about something. Try to maintain eye contact for at least 60 percent of the conversation. It’s okay to look away now and then, but looking in a person’s eyes is going to show that you’re trustworthy and friendly.
Finally, your handshake can say a lot about you. Most people believe that a strong handshake is connected with a confident person. These individuals are more than likely extroverts and expressive of their emotions. People with weak handshakes, on the other hand, lack confidence and tend to take the easy way out of a challenge. So how do you judge others? And how do they judge you? You may be surprised what people are looking for and what they see.
