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While profiling in and of itself involves a lot of observation, you first need to study a person's typical behavior to see how they act on a normal basis. Before establishing a profile, take a few days or weeks to observe someone's posture, body language, facial expressions, and mannerisms. When you take time to establish a person's baseline behaviors, you can be more aware of different mood and behavioral changes when you profile this individual later. Profiling and establishing baseline behaviors both involve a lot of observation. Baseline behaviors set the standard, while profiling explores deviations in the way a person presents themselves. Take note of how a person chooses to stand and carry themselves as they move from place to place. Do they stand confidently, or do they tend to cower and back away from conversation? You can draw different conclusions from people who move with authority and self-assurance versus people who stand and move with slouched posture. You can get a lot of insight into a person's ego level by watching their posture. Someone who walks with swagger has a lot more self-confidence than someone walking with hunched shoulders. Look at the different ways people lean forward and backward, and what they do with their hands, arms, and legs. If a person is leaning away throughout a conversation, note that they might be trying to create distance. Similarly, remember that crossed legs and arms display an attitude of defensiveness. If a person doesn't display these closed-off behaviors, you can safely profile that they feel relatively comfortable. You can also tell a lot about a person's nerves given how they act in a conversation. For instance, cuticle picking and lip biting are common nervous habits for different individuals. If a person hides their hands throughout a conversation, you can safely assume that they aren't being completely upfront with you. Try to detect any physical tics in a person's facial expression that indicate how they're feeling. Note that frown lines can point to a worried or negative attitude, while crow's feet can indicate happiness or pleasure. Additionally, look for a clenched jaw or other tight muscles in the face, as these indicate tension. While a clenched jaw doesn't necessarily mean that a person is angry, it generally means that they're tense and uncomfortable. Use the context of the conversation to figure out these behaviors. For instance, if you ask a friend for money while you're eating dinner together, see if their facial expression or jaw tenses in any way. If you detect some kind of tense expression, you can assume that your friend isn't happy with your request. Try establishing a general baseline for what aggressive and angry behavior looks like in other people. Is a person overreacting to a small incident, or verbally berating an acquaintance? Pay attention to different scenarios to get an understanding of what aggressive behavior looks like on different occasions. For instance, if a customer in a store is verbally harassing a sales associate, then the customer is exhibiting aggressive behavior. While aggressive behavior can be obviously detected through physical violence, you can also witness it through toxic, bullying behavior. In different situations, take note of how different people react to sad and unsettling news. While people express grief, sadness, and discomfort in different ways, see if a person feels unaffected or unmoved by the suffering of others. If a person lacks empathy or compassion for other people, keep them on your radar, as they could be dangerous to spend time with. People who are unable to display empathy and compassion tend to fall in the "psychopath" category. Whether you're at home or at work, take note of a person's wardrobe choice for the day. Are they selecting a power suit and fancy shoes, or a pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt? You can learn a lot about a person by noticing their preferences for formal and casual clothing, as well as the accessories they choose for their outfits. For instance, a person wearing a suit and fancy shoes probably takes themselves more seriously than a person wearing casual, comfortable clothes. Pay attention to the accessories, tattoos, and other memorabilia a person has, and see if these items indicate any spiritual values or preferences.
Establish someone's baseline behaviors before you start profiling them. Examine a person's standard posture as they go about their day. Search for common patterns in body language. Watch the usual way a person's facial expressions change as they talk. Watch for aggressive language and behavior. Identify when a person lacks compassion and empathy. Pay attention to a person's typical dress code.