Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we spend more money than we mean to, often because we’re drawn in by appealing offers when we’re in a store or subtly pressured by friendly-seeming salespeople trying to make some extra commission.

These types of splurges can be especially frustrating when the credit card bills come in, largely because we never intended to make them in the first place and may not have even wanted them. Luckily, new research suggests there may be a cure for falling prey to salespeople’s sneakiest tactics.

Body Language and Empathy

Behavioral scientists have long seen a connection between body language and empathy. Here’s a look at what happens when we mirror the positions others take.

• Imitate someone’s movements: Research suggests that when you copy another person’s movements (like crossing the legs, leaning on one hand, etc.), you’re more likely to understand and share his or her emotions.
• Have your movements copied: Similarly, we tend to like people who imitate our own movements, because they generally relate easily to our emotions and empathize with us.

While this can be a positive relationship in some situations (like when you’re meeting new people and trying to put them at ease), it also has negative consequences. According to a study from the Netherlands, mirroring others’ body language can also cost us money – and could lead to bankruptcy!

• In the study, one group of subjects either lied or told the truth about having donated money to a charity organization.
• The other group of subjects either mimicked or did not mimic the first group’s body language.
• During assessments of the first group’s perceived emotions and truthfulness, the non-mimicking group was better able to detect deception and better able to evaluate the first group’s true emotions.

Make It Work for You

The takeaway lesson here is this: you’ll be more likely to maintain your autonomy and unbiased judgment if you refrain from copying the body language of others, particularly in sales situations, when the person you’re talking to has an immediate and specific motivation to deceive you.

• Cross your arms. This is a guarded stance, and may help create a barrier between yourself and aggressive salespeople.
• Reject help you don’t need or want. Salespeople are often charming and difficult to resist, so if you arrive at a store knowing what you want or need, politely turn away any help that could result in your spending more than you meant to.
• Just say no. If a salesperson puts pressure on you (claiming that an item is the last in stock, that its price will soon double, etc.), simply walk away. You should never make major purchases under pressure or with high emotions. Give yourself time to reflect.

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