How to Tell Signs of Lying
Lying in some form is commonplace in society. Some people lie to save another person's embarrassment or prevent hurt feelings. Others see lies as a way to get out of a situation that could lead to unfavorable results if they tell the truth. There is no sure-fire, guaranteed way of spotting someone who is lying, says a 2001 FBI Law Enforcement bulletin. However, there are certain signs and behaviors you can watch out for that may indicate a person is lying.
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Instructions
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Listen when someone you suspect of lying is talking to you. It is important to pay attention to all the details of his story. Liars tend to stick to basic information in an effort to sound more plausible. Consider if what he is saying makes sense and is consistent with things you already know are truth. If he is accustomed to lying, he will be much more convincing.
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Ask lots of questions, specifically getting her to repeat parts of the story. Mix up the order of your questions and repeat them to see if her answers remain the same. Under persistent questioning, her story may start to show inconsistencies. She may also answer what should be easy questions slower than expected. Doing so is a stalling tactic to give her chance to get her story right, says a July 2004 American Psychological Association (APA) Web site article.
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Observe the person's body language. He may appear nervous, worried and even agitated. He may begin tapping his hands and feet as an unconscious distraction tactic. Lying is extremely stressful and this may well show in his posture. It is important to remember that each individual is different, therefore relying on body language alone to spot deception is not reliable.
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Maintain eye contact with her. If she is lying, she may find it difficult to make eye contact with you. Other possible signals include rapid or abnormal blinking and increased hand-to-eye movements. Accomplished liars are usually aware of the facts relating eye contact to revealing possible deception. Because of this, she may increase eye contact in an attempt to deceive you further.
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Watch his overall behavior. A liar will try to distance himself from the person he is talking to by leaning away from them. An honest person usually leans in towards the person he is talking too. Crossing the arms and legs are not only a defensive stance, it is often an attempt to appear smaller. Genuine people tend to take up more area, reclining in their chair or letting arms swing loose.
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Take note of the language she uses. Someone who is lying tends to reinforce to the listener the fact she is telling the truth, using phrases such as "in all honesty" and "I would not lie to you." If your confrontation has taken her by surprise, her dialogue may be full of pauses as well as sounding disjointed. She may be attempting to buy time to go over what she is going to say.
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Tips & Warnings
Go with your gut instinct, especially if the potential liar is someone close to you. Use what you know about him to decide if what he is saying is plausible and believable.
Prepare yourself for the truth. Liars often go undetected because they tell a person what he wants to hear. If you are confronting your partner about being unfaithful, ask yourself if you are ready to hear the truth.
References
Resources
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