How to Read People: The Complete Guide to Reading Body Language, Emotions, and Intentions Reading people is the ability to accurately interpret nonverbal cues, emotional states, and social intentions in real time. According to Ambady and Rosenthal’s 1992 landmark “thin slices” research published in Psychological Bulletin , people form accurate judgments about others within 30 seconds of observation. These snap assessments predict outcomes in teaching, sales, and relationship satisfaction with surprising reliability. The skill is trainable, measurable, and foundational to every meaningful social interaction. Most people think they’re good at reading others. They’re wrong. Dr. Nicholas Epley’s research at the University of Chicago found that married couples, people who’ve spent thousands of hours together, predicted their partner’s deep responses correctly only 5 out of 20 times. They thought they’d get 12 right.…