By the Age of 35, You Should Be Smart Enough to Know These 16 Dark Psychology Tricks

Age is just a number when it comes to experience,

knowledge, and maturity.

A person could be in their 30s but still be naive,

lacking essential skills and wisdom.

The world is not filled with kind and loving people;

it is also filled with jokers, manipulators, and liars.

No matter how distracting your life is,

it doesn’t give you any excuse for not knowing

what you must learn earlier in life.

Because the older you get, the more responsibility you have.

Many people will be dependent on your decisions and choices,

while others will draw inspiration from your life.

It is a responsibility you must accept.

I have compiled these 16 psychology tricks

so that you don’t get fooled easily.

Not all tricks are dark psychology, but they will open your eyes

and make you judge the world better.

Here are the 16 Psychology Tricks:

1. People Believe Confidence More Than Truth

If you observe the world closely,

you will understand why people praise politicians more than scientists.

Most people don’t fact-check.

If you speak with confidence, they assume you’re right,

even when you’re not.

This is why bold liars often get ahead of quiet, honest people.

People know politicians lie,

but they still support them and stand with them.

The trick is simple: politicians speak with confidence

and know how to lie effectively.

2. Silence Makes People Reveal Secrets

That’s the best way to catch a liar: don’t talk.

When you stop talking and just wait, people grow uncomfortable.

Humans naturally don’t like silence; to break it, they overshare.

I once heard a saying from a podcast that was simple yet profound:

“Sometimes, the best way to get something is to say nothing and do nothing.”

3. Copying Body Language Creates Trust

Be careful because many people do this.

If you subtly mirror someone’s posture, tone, or gesture,

their brain thinks, “This person is like me.”

People naturally feel relaxed and safe around those they like.

That unconscious connection makes them lower their guard.

Again, be careful, as many manipulators

use this to get certain things from people.

4. Compliments Control People

Most people crave recognition.

If you look closely at people’s actions and intentions,

you will understand they want to be admired and complimented

for how good they are.

A simple, targeted compliment like,

“You’re really sharp with details,”

makes them more open to influence than any logical argument.

If a person is very difficult to get along with,

complimenting them might break the spell.

5. Scarcity Makes Things Look Valuable

Water is the most valuable substance on earth,

yet it is the cheapest because it is available almost everywhere.

The same applies to humans.

When something feels rare—your time, your attention,

or a product—people want it more.

Acting too available makes you look less valuable.

It is always strategically right to withdraw

from the public from time to time.

6. Curate Your Feed

The content you consume shapes how you think.

If your IG, Facebook, or TikTok feed is all about drama and jokes,

you are more likely to crave more drama and live that life.

Make your screen time feed your brain, not drain it.

Social media is good for fun,

but it can also be your source of knowledge and growth.

7. First Impressions Stick

Control your appearance and how you want people to judge you.

In less than 10 seconds, people decide

if they respect you, trust you, or dismiss you.

Once formed, that judgment rarely changes,

no matter what you do later.

The public is like a theater; people are rarely themselves,

they are acting.

You can’t change that, but you can style how you want to be viewed.

8. Sharing a Secret Builds Quick Trust

If you tell someone something private (even small or staged),

they feel chosen.

In return, they often share their own secrets or grow loyal to you.

Be wary of this psychological trick.

People will usually open up about a secret

to you just so that you tell them your secret.

You will later realize their secret meant nothing,

and it was just a game.

9. Guilt Controls Behavior

If someone feels guilty for letting you down,

they’ll often overcompensate to make it right.

Guilt is a stronger motivator than rules or logic.

10. Certainty Beats Correctness

In arguments, the person who sounds most sure usually wins,

even if they’re wrong.

People prefer confident direction over hesitant truth.

Use this trick in debates to counter your opponent

because they might be using it on you.

Don’t speak with hesitation, and always be confident.

Lawyers use this trick to great effect.

11. Ambition Is Contagious

Spend time around driven people, offline and online.

They will naturally force you to become ambitious and better.

The type of people you surround yourself with matters the most.

It is better to be alone than with people who are not going anywhere.

12. Playing the Victim Shifts Power

When someone acts helplessly,

it forces others to feel guilty or responsible.

It’s a hidden form of control

because helping them becomes a moral obligation.

Many people use this trick in relationships;

they frame themselves as the victim of a situation

and use tears to gain leverage.

13. People Fear Rejection More Than Lies

Most people will agree just to avoid embarrassment,

even if they disagree inside.

This is why persistence often beats honesty—people choose comfort

over truth.

Humans are naturally prone to choose comfort over discomfort anytime.

14. Acting Unbothered Makes People Chase You

When you don’t look desperate, people instinctively value you more.

That is why it is always the person who is unbothered

and doesn’t try hard who gets all the attention.

Indifference is powerful because it creates mystery

and forces others to seek approval.

People are curious like cats; they want to know more.

15. Staying Calm Is More Intimidating Than Shouting

Anger looks weak and desperate.

People fear those who are unreactive.

Calmness under pressure signals control—and it unsettles anyone

who expected you to break down.

Master self-control and see how others respect and fear you.

16. Follow People Who Make You Better

Your feed trains your brain every day.

The right content rewires your thinking

and keeps you focused on what’s actually important.