How can I learn read people personalites and cold read?

[xplorer]

I find it really interesting being able to read people, without even talking to them, I remember watching a Derren Brown show where he was able to cold read and pin point a persons personality who was just walking down the street, with amazing accuracy.

How do you learn this?

[student_psy]

Well, it'll be guessing, as i have no psychological education, nor i read books.
When i first met with my classmates, at 9th grade, 2 years ago, at the 3rd day, i was able to tell what is who, what he does, is he smart or stupid, for most of the people.
When i meet some guy, of my friend's, in a few minutes, i am able to determine what person is he.

Basically i just watch what he/she is doing, how he/she acts to some situation, how he/she walks. So i guess a key to this is just watching people. Watch how they act, how they walk, how they do things... In some time, you'll be able to determine, ~what person he or she is. That's what i do.

As for "instant" examinations of some random dude on the street, the question you originally asked - years of people's watching, studying personalities (school or books).

Just my guess.

[Stasy]

I find it really interesting being able to read people, without even talking to them, I remember watching a Derren Brown show where he was able to cold read and pin point a persons personality who was just walking down the street, with amazing accuracy.

How do you learn this?

Try to feel. Appearances  are deceptive,but your intuition has to help you...........

[Enigma]

Start with "What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People" by Joe Navarro

[voodoo scientist]

First off, having watched more or less everything he's put out there, Derren Brown is an entertainer. What he does is not what he shows, and the fact that some aspects of his show are genuine (such as having unsuspecting 'victims') doesn't mean that the important ones are (such as why he picks a specific unsuspecting victim). He's comparable to Penn & Teller except he likes you to manipulate the viewer into concluding that he's not "just" a magician, but he is really just a magician.

Personality only accounts for about 25% of behavior, which is why accurately reading someone's mind or predicting their behavior is functionally impossible. When one believes one can predict someone's behavior, they are exercising the fundamental attribution error. The FAE is an inherent bias in human psychology stemming from identity processes which, without fail, causes us to attribute vastly more than 25% of behavior to personality. Think about how often you yourself might attribute 100% of a person's behavior to personality, such as in the first reply to this thread. It's extremely common.

I also own the book listed above and I would not recommend it. The idea that you can accurately "read" people's personality or predict behavior is more or less bogus, and you would be much better off pursuing either manipulation (which is what Derren Brown uses) or real psychology (which is a lot more than Derren Brown uses).

[student_psy]

Manipulation... You cannot manipulate everyone. Real psychology, how the voice sounds, how the person moves and how he acts on some occasion, that's the real psychology in opinion. And that's what should be used, and what I am using, when talking to suspicious people. I'm also a very anxious person, so it's very hard for me to control my own expressions.
Although, manipulation + real psychology is a deadly mix, but you probably won't ever get to interrogate someone you are talking to. So watching is your friend here.

Just my opinion...

[hortonpilot]

To get to this point means you must know more?
Not saying it is impossible but you have an excellent framework ,simplified to deal with slotting.

I baulk at this stuff everyday but i still slot.

Horton