What does it mean to be likable – and who has to abide by those rules?

This trait is one society demands of some people – women and people of color – more than others. Illustration: Guardian Design

Here are a few hacks you may have heard to help you be more likable: in conversation, subtly mirror other people’s body language, ask lots of questions, pay attention, use first names more, ask people for favors, be extroverted.

Some of these are just good common sense, but others seem a little silly in their obviousness – and not all are grounded in science. Plus there’s the question of causality. For example, does mirroring cause people to like each other more, or do people who like each other more tend to mirror each other?