How To Spot A Liar?

Most of us have lied at some point of time in our lives. Not all lies are bad and some can even help avoid arguments and conflicts or prevent unnecessary pain or agony for an individual. There are various ways in which lies can actually be useful without hurting anyone. However, there are certain individuals who make lying a habit and use it for their personal gains.

Such lies are bound to affect other people in a negative manner. In such situations, it becomes necessary to spot the lie and take necessary action. The liar could be your spouse, child, friend, a colleague, your team member, other acquaintances or even complete strangers. Spotting such liars can protect you and your interests from a variety of troubles. To help you achieve that, here’s how you can spot a liar.

Body language – If you suspect someone is lying, pay close attention to their body language. A liar will most likely fidget with their hands or avoid showing their hands. Instead of standing tall, they might try to contract their bodies to make themselves less noticeable.

Facial expressions – When someone is telling a lie, their facial expressions start to change. Liars may have rapid eye blinking, sweating, lit biting and flared nostrils. Lying puts additional burden on the brain, which results in such expressions. Touching the nose often is also considered to be a sign of lying.

Voice tone – The tone of a person may change when they are lying. It may change to low or high or become slower or rapid. They may start to provide extensive details that you may not have even asked for.

Talking in third person – A person who is lying may try to frame their sentences in third person. They will try to avoid using terms like ‘I’, ‘Me’, ‘We’, etc. Instead, they will frame sentences that will have terms like ‘they’, ‘that’, ‘this girl’, ‘that person’, etc. This is a way for the brain to distance itself from the lie.

Instant answers – A person who is expecting some questions from you is likely to have prepared their answers in advance. For example, if you ask which doctor they visited on their sick leave, they might have already researched and found out what to say. If they keep on providing instant answers for most of your questions, it’s an obvious sign that they have rehearsed their answers and are probably lying.

Eager to prove honesty – If the person you are talking to appears too eager to prove their honesty, it’s a sign they are lying. For example, use of phrases like “I swear”, “Honestly speaking”, etc. may be indicative of a lie.