When Mimicking Reflects Badly On You

The Huffington Post:

Have you ever crossed your arms to match a friend’s stance or leaned in a little closer as your date did the same thing? If so, you’ve experienced mirroring.

Whether you realize you’re doing it or not, subtly mimicking people in social settings helps you form bonds and establish connections. Mirroring — copying a person’s looks, gestures and general body language — is especially handy on job interviews and dates when we’re trying to establish a rapport and develop trust.

While this unconscious activity has its benefits — imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all — new research reveals that unchecked mirroring can backfire.

The study, published in Psychological Science, found that when people were observed unconsciously mimicking someone who wasn’t perceived as friendly or likable, they were described as the same.

Read the whole story: The Huffington Post

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