It's fair to say that none of us appreciate being lied to. Dishonesty is one of the leading causes in the end of relationships. Liars are prone to lose jobs, be suspects when things go missing, or just be social outcasts in general. It can be safely said that an honest friend or associate will win out in social circles in comparison to one who is a known liar. Below are some strategies (some used by law enforcement agencies) to help decipher a lie from the truth.
In this article we will see a brief overview in regards to the hints and telltale signs that are exhibited when a person is telling a lie as opposed to the truth.
What Liars May Do or Say:
- Overcompensation (adding details that weren't asked for in an attempt to convince you.).
- Change in voice pitch
- Anxious to change the subject
- A guilty person tends to get defensive while an innocent person tends to go on the offensive
- A statement with contractions tends to be truthful. “I didn't do it” as opposed to “I did not do it” may tell a lie from the truth
- Liars try to avoid being discovered by not making direct statement in regards to what they are being asked about. They imply vague answers instead of denying something directly
- A guilty person may speak more naturally and calmly (adding those unimportant details) and tend to want to lead the conversation as opposed to following it
- A liar may leave out pronouns: we, us, I, (a subconscious attempt to make a matter less personal) and also turn the subject of discussion around to discuss something about the accuser's recent behavior
- A guilty person may speak in a passive manner and purposely avoid raising their voice to draw attention to what they are saying
Facial Expressions:
- Eye movement (usually in an upward manner as if grasping for an idea) is a good hint that someone is spinning a fabrication
- A forced or polite smile in which only the muscles around the mouth are involved could be the hint of a lie. A genuine smile involves the muscles of the mouth, the forehead, eyes, cheeks and the area around the nose.
- Staring at an object in the room as opposed to looking you in the eyes could also be the sign of a lie. This gets confusing as some liars try deliberately to look their accuser in the eye while spinning a lie, but look at the rest of there face when confronted like this. Are they straining to look at you? Does their voice have that fake relaxed tone? Are they tilting their head to one side or the other? Are they adding unnecessary details? Eye contact may very well give a liar away when these other factors are taken into consideration.
- Facial expressions are usually limited to mouth movements when someone is telling a lie instead of the whole face
Test for a Lie:
If you believe that someone is lying to you about a specific issue here is s simple test: Change the subject deliberately and very suddenly. A liar will follow along with the change willingly and becomes more relaxed. This is because the guilty want the subject changed. The innocent person is confused by the change and will want to go back to what you were talking about in an attempt to show their innocence.
