It’s not always easy to catch someone telling a lie, but humans tend to give themselves away more than they know. Nervous behaviors, conflicting tales, and more can spill the beans about the truth. These are 10 of the most informative signs that a person might be lying.
10. Change in Speech Patterns
One of the best telltale signs that an individual may be lying is a detectable change in his or her speech patterns. Greg McCrary, a former FBI criminal profiler, says that individuals tend to alter their voice or how they speak when they are lying. Finding a baseline for how someone normally speaks will enable you to notice these alterations when the discussion goes to more difficult subjects.
9. Non-Congruent Gestures
When body language doesn’t correlate with what is said, it is a warning sign. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, a clinical psychologist, states that gestures tend to tell the truth. For instance, when someone says yes but their head shakes no, listen up—those gestures might be truer than what they are saying.
8. Not Saying Enough
Liars tend to lie by omission, providing less information than truth-tellers. If pressed for more information, they might be unable to produce more. It has been found that if a person is asked to retell their story in reverse, there is an increase in cognitive load, and it becomes more difficult for the liar to sustain the lie.
7. Telling Too Much
Conversely, others attempt to persuade others by increasing the detail in their lie. Harvard Business School research indicates that liars tend to embellish using unnecessary information and employ more profanity and third-person pronouns as a way of keeping the lie at arm’s length.
6. Unusual Rise or Fall in Vocal Tone
Cultural differences may affect vocal cues when one is lying. Dr. David Matsumoto, a professor of psychology, has observed that Chinese subjects tend to lie with a higher pitch of voice, whereas Hispanic subjects reduce their pitch. These voice changes are subtle but significant.
5. Direction of Eyes
Unlike what people think, eye movement is not a guaranteed sign of lying. Research has shattered the myth that looking left or right is a sign of deception. Surprisingly, most liars make direct eye contact, which makes this sign less effective than previously believed.
4. Covering Mouth or Eyes
Some individuals naturally cover their eyes or mouth when lying. Former CIA officers mention that eye closure or covering the face may be an involuntary process of concealment from the fact or the response to it.
3. Excessive Fidgeting
Nervousness typically goes with dishonesty, and so may be hand licking, nail gazing, or hand shaking. An anxiety reaction is the body’s response to the stress of a lie, and it is often a definite indication that one is not telling the truth.
2. Finger Pointing (Literal or Figurative)
Aggressive gestures such as finger-pointing or shifting blame onto others can indicate a desire to deflect attention from oneself. If someone suddenly becomes hostile or starts blaming others, it may be a sign they’re hiding something.
1. Self-Identifying as a “Good Liar”
One of the simplest indicators is when a person openly declares themselves to be a good liar. A study in Plos One discovered that people who refer to themselves as “good liars” tend to give short, straightforward explanations and have a greater inclination to deceive others. If a person boasts about their lying ability, it’s best to be wary.
Spotting a lie is not always a certainty, but knowing these signs will help you handle delicate situations with greater assurance. Listen to your gut, watch behavior, and keep in mind that no one sign is conclusive—it’s the pattern that speaks volumes.