The text presents 15 mental tricks to control situations and influence people. These tricks include:
1. Gently touching someone's elbow to increase the likelihood of them doing what you want.
2. Using the "power look" to intimidate or silence someone by staring at the triangular area between their eyes and forehead.
3. Getting someone to open up by having them sit next to you and engaging in activities that encourage them to lean forward.
4. Using the environment to your advantage by placing people in a comfortable and relaxed position.
5. Using a pen to point and guide someone's attention, making them more likely to listen and absorb what you're saying.
6. Observing leaders in a group to determine who is for or against something, as subordinates tend to mimic their behavior.
7. Presenting proposals before dinner, when people are more mentally alert and less likely to make decisions with their mouth full.
8. Conducting meetings while standing, as this can lead to shorter and more decisive conversations.
9. Placing a picture of eyes in a public place to encourage people to behave more ethically.
10. Creating a sense of anxiety and then relief to increase the likelihood of someone agreeing to a request.
11. Asking someone for a favor and then making them feel guilty for not helping, increasing the likelihood of them helping in the future.
12. Crossing your arms to see if someone is paying attention to you, as people tend to mimic the actions of those they're engaged with.
13. Improving confidence by standing up straight, squaring your shoulders, and breathing deeply.
14. Identifying close relationships in a group by observing who people look at when they laugh.
15. Calming angry customers by staying calm, listening to their complaints, and repeating them back in a relaxed tone.
These tricks can be used in various situations, from business meetings to social interactions, to influence people and control situations.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. A study found that bookstore shoppers who were greeted with a light touch on the elbow spent more time in the store and bought more items than those who were not touched.
2. Research showed that men who lightly touched women on the arm while asking for their cell phone number were more likely to obtain their phone numbers.
3. Touching someone's arm or elbow for about three seconds can increase the probability of getting what you want by three times.
4. Looking at someone intently in the area of their forehead, as if they have a third eye, can intimidate them and make them respect you more.
5. When a person's mind is closed, their body follows, making it more difficult to convince them of something.
6. Sitting with your back to an open space can increase stress, blood pressure, and heart rate.
7. Placing a person in a comfortable and relaxed position can encourage them to speak more and with greater authority.
8. Using a pen to point towards a presentation and simultaneously verbalizing what the person sees can have a magnetic effect and make them more attentive.
9. Observing the leader of a group can help you understand who is for or against something, as subordinates tend to copy the leader's gestures and positions.
10. Presenting proposals before dinner can increase the chances of getting a positive response, as people are more mentally alert before eating.
11. Conducting meetings while standing can make conversations shorter and make the person leading the meeting appear to have a higher status.
12. Placing a picture of a pair of eyes in a visible location can make people feel like they are being watched and behave more ethically.
13. Creating a feeling of anxiety and then relief in someone can make them more likely to respond positively to subsequent requests.
14. Asking someone for a small favor can make them feel indebted to you and more likely to help you in the future.
15. Crossing your arms while talking to someone can help you determine if they are paying attention to you, as people who are observing and paying attention tend to imitate your actions.
16. Standing up straight, squaring your shoulders, and breathing with energy can make you feel more confident and achieve things you might not have believed possible.
17. Observing who people look at while laughing can help you identify who they support and get along with in a group.
18. Repeating a customer's complaint in a relaxed tone can help calm them down and make them feel understood.
19. Placing a mirror on the wall behind you can help calm down angry customers, as they don't like to look at themselves when they are angry.