What Your Facebook Friends Say About You

What Do Your Facebook Friends Say About You

Facebook gets more crap than every cheating politician, relapsed rock star, and Nickelback song combined. It leads to cheating. It distracts you at work. It killed your dog. The list goes on. But now, researchers at University College London have found something good about Zuckerberg’s social phenomenon: Your Facebook can tell you a lot about yourself—specifically, how well you’ll do at work and with women. When college students were given brain scans, researchers found that the amount of gray matter in regions responsible for processing social signs—such as body language and reading other people’s intentions—gradually increased as the number of Facebook friends increased, but there was no such association with real-life friends.

Researchers believe people with more gray matter are friendlier and more socially in-tune, which means they have the ability to make friends and influence people more easily. “On Facebook, we maintain social connections with people we aren’t very close with—like those we’ve met once at a party,” says Ryota Kanai, Ph.D. and researcher at University College London. “Simple things such as meeting new people or feeling comfortable with strangers may be more relevant for online social network size.”

Translation: The Facebook elite are already socially savvy. If you’re not swimming in Facebook friends, take it as a hint that your people skills could use an upgrade. Here are the seven habits that socially savvy men use to woo women, impress at work, and make more friends (both in person and online).

Dress to Impress

On a job interview or first date, you’re being evaluated before you even open your mouth. Look confident—even if you’re more nervous than a virgin in a brothel—with standout accessories. Try an unconventional tie from David Hart or cufflinks with personality.

Network

Even if you’re not the most social guy at the party, you can land a new job with a little thing called the Internet. Upgrade your LinkedIn profile and have recruiters find you.

Just make sure to use search-friendly terms, as Nicole Williams, connection director at LinkedIn and the author of Earn What You’re Worth told us in Find a New Job—Without Applying. (Think: “Director of Digital Media” instead of “Web Guru.”)

Wear Red

Women are more attracted to men who wear red—most likely because of its association with power, according to a University of Rochester study. Still, subtlety is best. Opt for a simple red button-up on your next date.

Mimic People

“We inherently trust people who are like us,” says Marc Salem, Men’s Health contributor, who has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology. If you want to be on your boss’s—or wife’s—good side, emphasize the things you have in common. A study in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology found that women were attracted to guys with a self-deprecating sense of humor. Don’t overdo it, though—no one wants a guy with low-self esteem. Making a joke when you drop something will do the trick.

Call Her

If she gave you her number, call her. And no, dialing her digits a week later doesn’t make you look cool, it makes you look scared.

Be Persuasive

Questions can be persuasive, according to Canadian research. Ask questions that begin with the word “if.” People process the information as if the “if” isn’t there, meaning they accept that information as fact. Example: “If I were to land this promotion…”