How to Tell if someone is lying-Hints & Tips

Adrienne Rich said “Lying is done with words and also with silence”. The self always shines through and there are many little hints & tips that if you are aware of can show big lying indicators in someone. Signs of lying can be everything from voice tone, body language, changing the subject, eye movements and more. Body Language -Look for stress and tension in the body and face -Extreme movements either way too stiff or overly dramatic. -Fidgeting, itching, rapid blinking, scratching etc. -Touching the ears, face, nose rubbing and mouth covering. -Hand signs are facing down or closed and turning white (blood rushing away from extremities under high stress. -Biting of the lips or extreme dry mouth due to stress. Eye Contact -No eye contact, a lot of people (except the compulsive liars) cannot tell a lie and look straight into someone’s eyes. -Looking to the left (normally for a right handed person opposite for a left handed person) means they are lying and creating something that did not happen. -Unusual blinking. Voice tone & communication -Voice tone raises a couple pitches -Constantly trying to change the subject. -Uncomfortable with silence. -If you know someone’s usual speed of conversation it is usually dramatically changed with lying. -A big pause in order to create something that did not occur. -Responding to your question with a question usually means they are trying to avoid the question and put the pressure on you. -Extra Defensive and accusing the other person of something to take the heat off of them. Tips to Try -Let the person talk and talk, as long as you are aware of some signs of lying usually an obvious lie or stress indicators will always show up. -Change the subject quickly and see if they release tension, a lot of times an innocent person will not want to change the subject until they get all their points and arguments out. -Try silence and staring at them for a little bit, if they are lying they will usually be uncomfortable and if they are telling the truth they will usually get frustrated or mad. Conclusion These tips and hints are only guides, it helps to know someone’s normal behavior and pay attention to how much that is changing during the suspected lie. If someone does one or two of these actions it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are lying. We as people usually have a pretty good built in lie detector, if you mix your intuition with some of these obvious signs it can be a great way to tell if someone is lying.