9 Little Things That Reveal a Lot About You

Sometimes it can be hard to get to know a person. One minute you think you’ve just figured them out, and then the next they go ahead and show their someone else from who you thought they were. People like to present their best self, most of the time. And some others are hard to decipher. Maybe they seem cold on the outside, but they’re a teddy bear on the inside. Maybe they are a kind friend in person, and then rude behind your back.

Whoever you’re trying to get a read on, they may be trying to get a read on you too. There are a lot of little things that can reveal a lot about your personality. Like what type of shoes you wear, or where your eyes go when you sip our coffee. If you’re curious to learn more about these little things that give way to who you truly are, here they are. Here are nine little things that reveal a lot about you.

1. How Often You Check Your Phone

A lot of people check their phone, a lot. It’s a sign of these modern times. But did you know that looking at your phone too often can show that you aren’t as emotionally stable?

According to a study from a team of psychologists from the University of Derby and Nottingham Trent University, people who intensively use their smartphones are more likely to be struggling with a mental illness. Those struggling with mental illness are likely to use their phone as a form of therapy. And individuals who are less conscientious are likely to be addicted to using their smartphones.

The study was conducted online with 640 smartphone users, aged 13-69, to determine the association between personality traits a smartphone use. It also determined that as our anxiety levels increase, the more likely we are to use our smartphone.

So, your roommate who is always on their cellphone, 24/7? They may be going through something. Now might be a good time to talk with them and see if they need help. Or, they just really like playing Among Us.

2. How You Treat Service Staff

Do you treat your waiter kindly? How do you treat flight attendants? Or the desk clerk? Pay attention to how you and others treat those who work in service. It can be valuable insight into their character.

Is your date going out of the way to complain about your waitress? Are they losing their patience over nothing? And if they’re nice to waiters and employees when they think you’re not watching, that can show they’re kindness real. Pay attention, doing so can give you some interesting details about who people are, and how they handle stress – even as small amount of stress as waiting for your order of chicken wings to arrive. So tasty.

3. What Shoes You Wear

According to a study published in Science Direct, your shoes can tell someone a lot about who you are, including your personality type.

The study “investigated people’s precision in judging characteristics of an unknown person, based solely on the shoes he or she wears most often. Participants provided photographs of their shoes, and during a separate session completed self-report measures.”

When subjects were given photos of the participants shoes, they’d rate and judge them based on the shoes alone.

The study found the “group of participants accurately judged the age, gender, income, and attachment anxiety of shoe owners based solely on the pictures.” Concluding that shoes can indeed be used to evaluate others, at least in some domains.”

It found that those who were comfortable shoes are likely to be agreeable. Those who wear uncomfortable ones? They’re likely the calm ones and can be expressing their hidden pain through the uncomfortable shoes they’re wearing. – Or they just like really cute shoes? Pain is beauty sometimes folks.

Somehow people who are aggressive enjoy wearing ankle boots. And those who like new shoes or clean and well-maintained ones seem to wear them to put a calm to their anxious and clingy personality.

4. How Much Eye Contact You Make

Not everyone likes eye contact, that’s fair. But for some, eye contact – or lack therof – can reveal a lot about what you’re thinking in that moment.

According to researchers at Cornell University, people often reduce eye contact when discussing something embarrassing, or when they’re deep in thought or emotions during a conversation.

Also, according to the research, if you’re the one who makes a lot of eye contact in the relationship, you are likely the socially dominant one and have a good amount of confidence.

5. Your Handshake

A study from the University of Alabama trained for people to become ‘handshake coders’. They then had the coders shake hands twice with 112 male and female subjects. The subjects didn’t know they were being evaluated on their handshake, and afterwards completed four personality questionnaires. The study found an individuals handshake is indeed consistent over time and can tell a lot about their personality.

Turns out, the firmer your handshake is, the more likely you are to be an extrovert and open to new experiences. If your handshake falls on the weaker side you are more likely shy and a bit neurotic.

In the study, males generally had the firmer handshake as opposed to women. But interestingly enough, women who were more liberal, intellectual and open to new experiences were found to possess a firm handshake as well. Further, those women made a more favorable impression than the women who had a handshake that was less firm. It was a complete opposite for men who were more liberal, intelligent, and open. Men who were more open had a slightly less firm handshake then the other men and slightly made a first impression that was not as good as the others.

6. How Late You Are

To a lot of people, if you’re always on time you’re likely a go-getter who is organized and motivated. If you’re late constantly? People likely think of you as a procrastinator or someone who simply doesn’t care. Sometimes, people often simply underestimate how long a task will take. This is known as planning fallacy. Research has determined that people often underestimate how long a task will take to complete by 40 percent.

Or if you’re late, you may also be a multi-tasker.

Findings from a 2003 study by Jeff Conte from San Diego State University, showed that out of 181 New York City subway operators, those who preferred to multitask were commonly late to work. This is likely due to the fact that multitasking makes it harder to have metacognition, or awareness of what you’re doing.

7. If You Get Something for Yourself, and Don’t Think of Others

Let’s say you want some takeout. So you decide to grab some food on your way home from work, and you decide to call your partner or family up to see if they want some too. That is, if you’re a kind and unselfish person. Let’s just say this, if you live with a partner, or your brother, or your old Uncle Larry and they don’t call to ask if you’ve eaten or want something? They suck.

They don’t even need to pay for it! Just ask! You can split the bill later. But if you have a partner who likes to buy a churro or hotdog and eat it in front of you – without asking if you want one – they are simply selfish, and likely cheap. Not a good thing my friend. Not a good thing.

8. If You Subtly Put Others Down

People can subtly be rude. It’s a thing. You don’t need to be the mean girl in a film to show others you are a jerk. There’s subtle things they can notice about you too.

For example, how they phrase certain questions. “You don’t like to read, right?” Or: “You’re not really into that thing, are you?” If they often phrase questions in a condescending way – context matters of course – and you can’t help but feel bad by their remarks, then they may be showing you… well, that they suck. Or, that they often look to the negative of a situation and don’t often think highly of others. Pay attention to their tone too, and if they ever give you any credit. Your friends or partner shouldn’t be talking to you in a condescending tone.

9. Where Your Eyes Go When You Drink

In psychology, where you look while you take a drink, can tell a lot about you. When someone looks over the rim of their cup when taking a sip, they’re likely an extrovert type who can be influenced easily. That’s because you trust others easily, environmentally aware, and have a carefree view of life. If you look into your glass when having a drink, you often introspect. You’re one who is aware of yourself often, focused, and have an idealistic view on life.

If you close your eyes while taking a gulp of your favorite drink, – hot cocoa perhaps? – you’re likely focused on taking relief and pleasure in your drink because of any discomfort or pain you’ve been experiencing.

Don’t worry things will get better soon. For now, you enjoy that hot cocoa. Enjoy your hot cocoa.

So, what little things do you relate to? What do they supposedly reveal about you? Were they right? How do you drink your hot cocoa? Do you like hot cocoa? Let us know in the comments below! And thanks for reading.

Written by Michal Mitchell

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @jackycoocoo for more articles, celebrity interviews, original poetry and more.

Check out “What Your Favorite Food Says About You, According to Research” or my other articles here.

References

• Gillath, Omri, et al. “Shoes as a Source of First Impressions.” Journal of Research in Personality, Academic Press, 13 Apr. 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656612000608.
• Chaplin, William F. “Your Handshake May Provide More Information to Others Than You Think.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, 2000, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/07/hand-shake.
• Nijhawan, Surabhi. “13 Tiny Things That Reveal A Whole Lot About Your Personality.” IndiaTimes, 10 May 2017, www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle/self/13-tiny-things-that-reveal-a-whole-lot-about-your-personality-250645.html.
• Staff, Science X. “Emotionally Unstable People More Likely to Be Smartphone Addicts, Says New Study.” Medical Xpress – Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 19 Mar. 2018, medicalxpress.com/news/2018-03-emotionally-unstable-people-smartphone-addicts.html.
• MacDonald, Fiona. “Scientists Have Found Out Why You’re Chronically Late.” ScienceAlert, 2018, www.sciencealert.com/chronically-late-personality-type-scientists-study.