Are You a Victim of the Chameleon Effect? Probably!
I know. I know... this isn't a chameleon, but it’s the closest photo I have! 😉
Do you ever walk into your closet and just feel—uninspired?
I’m getting that feeling. Same old, same old. I’m getting the itch for something fun, something new (or new to me). So while I was out running errands last week, I stopped into a few stores full of high hopes.
I don’t go shopping often, so I decided to run an experiment in engagement while I was at it. It went something like this.
When I entered each store, I gave my most welcoming smile and looked directly at a sales associate.
I noticed what they did.
Then I noticed how I felt about what they did.
By the way, did I tell you the stores were empty on this rainy day?
Okay, so here are the results. All of the sales associates said the same thing: “Let me know if I can help you.” Most of the sales associates didn’t smile back. A few of them barely gave me a glance, delivering their line while looking somewhere else. Only one was smiley, chatty, and friendly. And you know which person I wanted to buy something from? The welcoming one, for sure, but I could have told you that before I ran this experiment.
Here’s the interesting part!
There’s a research paper about The Chameleon Effect, where people unconsciously mimic the emotions of another person they come into contact with. Let’s say a sales associate opens the store and the first 5 customers have their resting/neutral face on. The sales associate will probably automatically dial down their welcomes to match their customers.
Think of the sales associates who are super bubbly and fun. My bet is they mindfully project that state even when less friendly customers might wear someone else down. (I also bet they sell waaaay more stuff too.)
You can easily see the results of the Chameleon Effect in many public-facing roles, like bank tellers, restaurant waitstaff, and hotel receptionists. No one is immune, but everyone can be aware of this behavioral tendency.
It is possible the Chameleon Effect has had its way with you today too!
So the next time you are hosting a meeting, running an event, or having a Zoom chat, assess your current baseline welcominglyness (I just made that word up; how do you like it?). Now dial up your greeting behaviors to sunny. Then, every few minutes or so, reassess and dial it back up.
