Real Life Application of Social Engineering Principles

There are many ways to use the principles in Social Engineering to benefit your life and work.  Psychology, influence, and persuasion can help open doors to greater opportunities.  Keeping this in mind, think about how you can apply the strategies below to your own life.

 

Making friends

While trying to become friends, people often make mistakes that end up hurting their chances of friendship.  Be sure to avoid these common mistakes by using social engineering.

• Do not talk about yourself too much.  The majority of the conversation should be on the other person and things that interest them.
• Too many people become complacent.  Always put effort into the friendship if you want it to work.
• Don’t expect the other person to like you right away.  People tend to like people who like them.
• Be ready at all times.  If there is an opportunity to do the other a favor, take it.  Consequently, people help people who help them.

 

Raising great kids

Found in social engineering, we can use communication tactics to help enstow values to children.   Most parents want their children to believe in certain things and uphold certain principles.  Children will be more willing to accept ideas if you follow these tactics as follows.

• Try mirroring your child’s body language for a higher acceptance rate.  For example, if they are sitting on the floor against the wall, sit on the floor against the wall.
• Be sure your tone of voice matched theirs.  If they are excited, be excited too.
• If your child is old enough to understand, before requesting something of them, try to explain to them your point of view so that their thinking may align with yours.

Reading emotions

One of the many psychological principles used in social engineering is microexpressions.  These are millisecond long flashes of emotion in the face.  By learning to notice and read these, you will be able to better understand the emotions and reactions other experience.

Happiness

This microexpression will be visible with the quick flash of a smile.  The mouth may slightly widen and the eyes will squint.

Sadness

Sadness can be viewed in the eyes, eyelids, and mouth.  The eyes will look down, the corner of the eyes will droop down and mouth will be drawn back.

Fear

Notice the raised eyebrows, slightly dropped open mouth, and hand near neck.

Anger

Anger is easily noticed with the glaring eyes, pursed lips, and angled brows.

 

A great first impression

First Impressions are critical in how someone will perceive, judge, and interact with you from there on out.  You only have mere seconds to make a great impression.  For the best impression we can use a variety of psychological tactics to make the other person feel comfortable and perceive you as a great person.

1. If possible, approach the other on their right side.  Statistically this makes the other person feel more comfortable, which helps with their perception of you.
2. Make sure your body language is conveying, open, and confident.  Think standing up straight, relaxed, mouth parted with a slight smile, and palms open.
3. Be sure to speak clearly and slowly.

Using these tactics while during a first impression will make it almost impossible to screw it up.