How they behave is up to you.
“What?”
Yeah.
Because they’re copying you.
In 21 milliseconds, our brains decide how we behave, and we base that on the other person’s behavior, starting with their facial expression. According to psychologist Elaine Hatfield.
Faster than you can consciously think, your brain has already made up its mind about how you’ll behave and how you feel.
You walk into a room and see someone who is stressed, and you’re copying them before you even realize it.
This concept, emotional contagion, works even if you’re not in the same room.
A study of 689,003 Facebook users showed that what they wrote and how they interacted on the platform was based largely on what they had been exposed to. That is, if they saw a bunch of negative stuff, they would write a bunch of negative stuff and use corresponding emojis.
We’re not just managing our own emotions; we’re setting the mood for the rooms we’re in.
Next time you walk into a room, try this.
Just smile. And watch it come back to you.
Start yelling. And see what happens.
(Don’t do that)
Emotional contagion puts you in charge of the behavior of those around you.
It’s a heck of a responsibility. But it’s also a huge opportunity to foster the behavior you want.
Try it when you get home tonight and greet your family. Choose the behavior that you want to see from everyone.
Embody it and watch them mimic you.
LearnWell — Post 4 of 11