Health

20 Secrets to Getting People to Like You

These tiny tweaks are the secrets behind making everyone want to friend you on Facebook and in real life

by Emily Woodruff | COMMENT

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Get Them Talking About Their Favorite Subject To get people to like you, let them talk about their favorite subject: themselves. Studies show that talking about one's self stimulates the same sensation in the brain as food or money. So, to make someone feel like they just won the lottery by striking up a conversation with you, ask them questions about their career, significant other, family or pets. Continue to ask questions until you strike upon something they light up about.

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Everyone wants to be liked. From the day we start school to the day we enter the workforce, we yearn for approval. Even the most cynical types secretly care about how they are received. If you don't believe that, science backs it up. Psychologist Abraham Maslow points out that humans are social creatures; we need each other to survive. As a result, the need to feel love and belonging are programmed into our DNA.

Feeling accepted and having people like you is the first step to making friends, and research shows that friendship is crucial to living a long, healthy life. In one study, researchers found that being socially isolated is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In a time when much of our social interaction takes place behind screens, it can be exhausting to figure out how to turn on the charm. But with just a few simple tweaks, you can win people over instantly -- and, since studies show that those with meaningful friendships have a 50 percent higher chance of survival than those without, these tips could add years to your life. Here, the secrets to getting people to like you.