Personality Mirroring 101: What It Is and How to Identify It

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A science-backed breakdown of what personality mirroring means
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Personality mirroring is the natural human tendency to copy the gestures, ticks, and speech of the people they interact with. In other words, if someone smiles at you and makes eye contact while leaning in, you’re likely to smile back, make eye contact, and lean in as well. While mirroring can be a conscious decision, people often do it subconsciously to build rapport, establish connections, or put people at ease. It can also be a sign that you’re being deceived, though! In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about mirroring.

Section 1 of 4:

What is personality mirroring?

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  1. Mirroring is a natural human behavior that everyone engages in occasionally. Basically, you subconsciously copy (or “mirror”) another person’s gestures, speech, ticks, or behavior while you’re interacting with them. This has been proven to help build rapport, cultivate positive feelings, and make people appear more persuasive. [1]
    • For example, if someone nods and talks with their hands when they communicate with you, you’re likely to nod and wave your hands back.
    • The scientific term for mirroring is limbic synchrony, and other animal species do it too. The thinking is that being in-sync with the others in your community is important for survival. [2]
    • Humans also do this naturally with babies. If a baby smiles at someone or laughs, adults will naturally do the same thing back. [3]
    • There’s a theory that mirroring is a core part of why yawning can be contagious. [4]
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Section 2 of 4:

When is personality mirroring positive?

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  1. People often naturally mirror someone when they meet them for the first time. So, if someone mirrors your behavior, it’s a sign that they want to make a good first impression. The mirroring is their way of subconsciously letting you know that they’re comfortable with you (even if they’re nervous). [5]
    • For example, if someone behaves sternly and seems stiff, you may naturally lean into the more serious side of your personality to match them.
    • You can usually “feel” the difference between someone who is mirroring you and someone who isn’t. It’s the little stuff, like eye movements, hand gestures, speech volume, and tone that really give a positive conversation the texture it normally has.
    • If you meet someone and they don’t mirror you, they’ll probably feel distant, cold, or uncaring.
  2. Mirroring is a subconscious way that people signal an interaction is positive. So, if you’re chatting with your crush or you’re on a first date and you notice any kind of mirroring behavior, it’s a major sign that they’re into you.
    • For example, if your date is very flirty and outgoing, you’re very likely to be playfully romantic and openly vulnerable as well. If your date is a little guarded, you’ll be unlikely to open up.
    • This kind of mirroring is very easy to spot if you know what to look for. If two people flirt and one of them tells a joke, both of them are likely to laugh together. The same goes for casual touching, locking eyes, or hugs.
  3. If someone is mirroring your speech or behavior and you’re their manager, teacher, or even just the most popular in your peer group, the mirroring is a sign that they’re happy to be following. Perhaps they respect your authority or maybe they’re confident in your ability to lead. [6]
    • As an example, picture two managers. One manager jokes a lot and doesn’t criticize their workers. Employees on their shift are likely to reflect that by having more fun and taking it easy. The other manager is always in a sour mood and quick to lash out at rule violators. Workers on their shifts will likely be more formal and not as conversational.
    • You’ll see this kind of mirroring when managers give teams of employees instructions. Often, when the manager nods their head, the team will all nod back at the same time.
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Section 3 of 4:

When is personality mirroring a red flag?

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  1. People are equipped with all kinds of monitoring equipment that they use to automatically detect danger, spot suspicious people, or sus out risky situations. [7] If someone’s mirroring feels “off” to you, you’re probably on to something. The mirroring behavior is likely counterfeit, and the person mirroring you is probably trying to trick you. [8]
    • It’s also possible that unconvincing mirroring is just the result of someone who is really socially awkward trying to do their best.
  2. Mirroring is a common manipulation tactic. If someone approaches you and begins mirroring you when that’s not something they’ve been known to do, that’s a big sign they’re working their way up towards asking you for something. [9]
    • Little children do this all the time. They’ll start behaving exactly the way their parent is acting, and work their courage up to eventually ask for ice cream, video games, or some other treat.
  3. Trying to mirror someone on purpose requires a lot of mental energy and strain. So, if little signs of stress start to show, it could be an indication that the person mirroring you isn’t doing it naturally. This may not be a bad thing per se (maybe they really want you to like them), but it is a sign that they’re putting on a show. [10]
    • This is why customer service reps, teachers, and instructors will often report being exhausted even if they’ve just been talking all day. It takes a ton of effort to put on a social performance!
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Section 4 of 4:

Who is most likely to mirror others?

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  1. Social butterflies are prone to mirroring more often than introverts. It’s a fast and easy way to build rapport with people, so extroverts end up sharpening their mirroring skills naturally over time. [11]
  2. Mirroring is, at its core, a way for people to signal to others that they’re on the same page. As a result, people who tend to be highly agreeable often mirror others by default. It’s an easy way to avoid conflict and encourage positive vibes. [12]
    • Agreeableness is one of the Big 5—the 5 traits that contribute to every human being’s personality. The other 4 elements are extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, and conscientiousness. [13]
  3. Mirroring is a common coping mechanism among people who care deeply about not standing out from the crowd. It’s a subconscious move if you want to keep everyone happy and send the signal that you’re not going to cause any social friction or violate any conversational rules. [14]
    • This is probably where personality mirroring is the most common in social situations. Most people will naturally mirror a crowd’s energy when they aren’t comfortable standing out.
  4. The 4 Myers-Briggs personalities that are extraverted dominant are highly prone to mirroring. This includes ENFJ, ESFJ, INFJ, and ISFJ. These types are highly conscientious of how they interact with other socially, so they’ll often rely on personality mirroring to form bonds. [15]
    • ISFJ and INFJ are meeker and less outgoing than the other extraverted personality types, but they’re really invested in how people view them and they try to avoid violating social norms. So, mirroring serves as a kind of armor against crossing any boundaries.
    • ENFJ and ESFJ types are decisive and outgoing. They also want to bond with others and maintain social harmony. For these two types, mirroring is an effective and easy way to achieve their goals.
  5. Mirroring is a common behavior among people with narcissistic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. For people with NPD, mirroring is an easy way to convince people you’re being empathetic. For people with a borderline personality, mirroring proves to be an effective way to stabilize relationships and keep things from spiraling out of control. [16]
    • While people with borderline personality disorder use mirroring as a crutch in social situations, people with NPD will often use mirroring to gaslight people . Do not accept any kind of emotional abuse, and put your foot down if you’re being manipulated.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      2. ↑ https://imaginehealth.ie/the-psychology-of-mirroring/
      3. ↑ https://www.etsu.edu/crhs/aslp/speechpathology/documents/mirroring_and_mapping_handout.pdf
      4. ↑ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/why-are-yawns-contagious-we-asked-a-scientist
      5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      6. ↑ https://imaginehealth.ie/the-psychology-of-mirroring/
      7. ↑ https://www.nicswell.co.uk/health-news/humans-have-super-spidey-sense-for-danger-claim
      8. ↑ https://medium.com/psychology-self-healing/a-manipulation-tactic-mirroring-7ea98b66ffcf
      9. ↑ https://medium.com/psychology-self-healing/a-manipulation-tactic-mirroring-7ea98b66ffcf
      1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      2. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      3. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      4. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5068715/
      5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-words/201209/mimicry-and-mirroring-can-be-good-or-bad
      6. ↑ https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/the-16-mbti-personality-types/
      7. ↑ https://medium.com/hello-love/4-signs-your-perfect-partner-is-actually-mirroring-what-to-do-next-adb3809690f

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