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Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 26, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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The wiki pages cover the basics:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Cold_reading

A search for "cold reading techniques" will bring up less dry sources. This one has a few books recommended at the bottom which you can find on annas-archive.org or libgen:
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/mentalism/articles/how-does-cold-reading-work/

The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading: A Comprehensive Guide to the Most Persuasive Psychological Manipulation Technique in the World
Ian Rowland Limited, 4th Revised edition, 2008

“A comprehensive guide to the most persuasive psychological manipulation technique in the world and its application to psychic readings. Cold reading can loosely be described as 'how to talk to a complete stranger as if you have known them all your life'. This definitive yet easy-to-read guide explains every aspect of cold reading in detail. Although the book focuses on how cold reading is used within the psychic industry, many cold reading principles have applications in other fields such as selling, negotiation, management and therapy. This is a 'must read' book for anyone interested in the psychology of persuasion.”