Most people have told a white lie or two in their lifetime, but then there’s the compulsive liar who seemingly has no issue with lying their way through life. Even the most distinguished liar gives away subtle body language hints which give them away.
Knowing the signs is an important life skill to possess so that you can guide yourself away from toxic friendships and relationships.
How to Spot a Liar
Study their face.
Anxiety can cause people to blush, so look out for flushed cheeks. Flared nostrils, deep breaths, rapid blinking and lip nibbling are all tell-tale signs they’re not telling the truth.
Look at their body language.
Does their body language flow in synergy with the story? Minimal movement and pulling their arms or legs inward can hint they are trying to put up a defensive wall between you. Putting their arms behind their back can be a sign they are subconsciously trying to hide their hands due to nerves causing them to fidget.
How are they smiling?
A genuine smile should incorporate their lips and eyes. If they’re trying to force a smile to mask a lie, the smile will not seem as authentic.
Listen to their voice.
A change in their voice in addition to an increase or decrease in their speech rate and breathing pattern, you’re likely not getting the whole truth. A liar’s vocabulary may use less personal pronouns in an attempt to psychologically distance themselves. Pay particular attention to how they say ”No.” They are likely lying if they say ”no” and look away, close their eyes, hesitate before answering, roll the ”noooooooo” out for longer than usual or say ”no” overly dramatically with jazz hands.
Are they behaving differently?
In addition to the voice changes above, look out for changes to their posture and hand gestures. Uncharacteristic behavior can symbolize that they’re feeling uncomfortable with lying. Using exaggerated responses like ‘awesome’ instead of ‘good,’ one-word answers and forgetting things throughout recounting their story despite being alert previously is another sign they may be trying to deceive you.
Ask them to recite the story backward.
OK, so we’re not hosting an FBI interrogation here, but someone who’s lying will find it more of a challenge to recite the story backward if you ask them ‘what happened before that.’
Use the element of surprise.
A liar will try to anticipate your questions in advance and map out their story in their head. They will potentially rehearse what questions you will ask and how they’ll respond in their head. Ask them something they don’t expect, and they may well crumble.
