The Eyes | A Study in Deductive Observation

“You see, but do not observe.” -Sherlock Holmes

‘Deductive’ observation as I like to call it, allows you to predict and anticipate what a particular person is going to do or say next. It can reveal a wealth of information and insight to ones thoughts and intentions. As a Mentalist knowing the language of the eyes can be most, advantageous.

The ability to read a person’s intentions based on eye movement develops at about the age of four. Sadly most never develop this further. The general rule is that the more interested and engaged a person is, the larger the pupils become. The same is true in reverse. Conversationally this can tell you everything.

The direction a person looks almost always indicates a great many things. Conjugate lateral eye movements, or CLEMS, are involuntary eye movements to the left or right and can indicate whether a person is engaged in symbolic or visual thinking.

A 1999 study showed that people are predominantly left or right lookers and that 75% of their eye movements will be in one direction or the other. This is a good indication of whether you are dealing with a more analytical left brain person who will mostly look to the right or a creative right brain person who is probably looking to the left.

Dr. Bella DePaulo, a psychologist at the University of Virginia, reported in 1986 that people think that they are much better than they actually are at reading body language. Most people inaccurately believed that “shifty eyes” meant a person was lying. A person’s body language response when defending themselves against the accusation that they have lied is identical to the body language used during lying.

In Neuro linguistic programming we caution that the rule of thumb is to use a minimum of four body language cues to make deductions about a person’s thoughts.

When asking someone a direct question, a left or right eye movement can mean the difference between the truth and a lie. Looking to the left indicates a made up answer as their eyes are showing a constructed image or sound whereas looking to the right would indicate a “remembered” voice or image, and thus would be the truth.

Remember that every person is different so as I said before never base a conclusion on just one observation.

-Joe Riggs | Mentalist & Consultantr
Taken From: www.TheWorldOfJoeRiggs.com/blog