u/Mountain_Growth_5862

I’m trying to understand a person's behaviour from a psychological perspective.

This person repeatedly does small things that appear to test other people's boundaries—for example, placing objects near another person's property, parking things in disputed areas, making small modifications close to a boundary, and delaying when asked to remove them.

He generally seems indirect rather than openly confrontational. When confronted directly, he sometimes avoids the interaction, while similar small behaviours happen again later.

Could this behaviour be related to boundary testing, passive aggression, insecurity, indirect dominance, opportunism, conflict avoidance, or a need for control?

What psychological mechanisms could explain this pattern, and what traits are commonly associated with this type of behaviour?

I want to learn how to understand a person beyond basic body language.

How can you tell from someone’s words, tone, stories, questions, reactions, eyes, expressions, posture, walking, and behavior what they’re really like?

I’m especially interested in recognizing personality, emotions, insecurities, strengths, weaknesses, motives, and the parts of someone they don’t openly show.

For people who are genuinely good at reading others: what do you observe, and how do you connect those observations without jumping to conclusions?

I’m looking for things you’ve learned through real experience, not “if they look away, they’re lying” type rules.

Not just reading body language. I mean understanding a person as a whole.

What can you learn from the way someone talks, chooses their words, tells stories, asks questions, listens, reacts, jokes, gets angry, handles disagreement, treats people, and behaves when they think nobody is watching?

And then combine that with their eyes, expressions, voice, posture, walking, sitting, gestures, and overall behavior.

Can you actually learn to recognize someone’s personality, feelings, intentions, insecurities, values, confidence, and hidden sidesthrough careful observation?

For people who are genuinely good at understanding others: what do you look for, and how did you learn to do it without making assumptions?

Not looking for the usual motivational answers. What’s something life taught you that permanently changed the way you see people, relationships, or yourself?