9 small things you do that people use to judge your personality
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
From the moment two people meet, they're sizing each other up, looking for signs of qualities like honesty, intelligence, and altruism.
Whether it's a date or a job interview, the small stuff matters — from the firmness of your handshake to how often you check your phone.
We checked out the Quora thread "What are the really small things that tell a lot about a person's psychology and personality?" and the latest scientific research, and highlighted some of the most common behaviors people use to judge you.
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
1. Your handshake.
Several Quora users admitted that they judge people based on their handshake.
"Strong handshakes usually reflect a strong and confident character, whereas weak handshakes usually indicate a lack of confidence and are almost always a characteristic of people who would look for an easy way to do things," writes Julian Parge.
Research backs up the idea that your handshake can reveal certain aspects of your personality. One study found that people with firm handshakes were more likely to be extroverted and emotionally expressive and less likely to be shy and neurotic.
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
2. Your punctuality.
Late for a very important date? The person who's waiting may be forming a negative impression of your personality.
"A proactive person will be there on time, because he is self-motivated, mentally organized, and values time whereas a procrastinator will be running here and there at the last hour," says Humaira Siddiqui.
According to science, those who are chronically late aren't necessarily inconsiderate people — but they're probably more laid-back, "Type B" individuals.
Mike Nudelman/Business Insider
3. Your handwriting.
Whether you're writing a to-do list or a love note, your handwriting can say a lot about you.
Ramesh Nagaraj believes that "people who put a lot of pressure on pen and paper to write something are usually stubborn in attitude. They have a lot of confidence."
Meanwhile, professional graphologist Kathi McKnight says that large letters indicate that you're people-oriented, while small letters suggest you're introverted. Letters that slant to the right can mean you're friendly and sentimental, those that don't slant at all might mean you're pragmatic, and letters that slant to the left suggest you're introspective.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider