How to Tell if Someone Is Lying to You

Woman Spying With BinocularsWhen someone is not being honest with you, there are often clues that they are lying. If you become adept at spotting these subtle changes in body language and tone, you will be able to develop your own lie detector and know when something is trying to keep you in the dark about something.

Here are some red flags that might indicate someone is lying:

  • They appear uncomfortable looking you in the eye. However, if they are aware that lack of eye contact indicates lying they might try harder to look you in the eye and it will also appear unnatural.
  • Their stories are inconsistent and either have too much detail or not enough detail.
  • The person acts unusually defensive and refuses answering questions.
  • Try to change the subject. If they have been lying, they will become more relaxed and happy that you aren’t talking about that topic anymore. If they are telling the truth, they will act confused as to why you changed the subject so quickly.
  • Nervous behaviors such as tapping their foot, biting their lip, or fidgeting can indicate that someone is lying.
  • If you ask someone a question and they look to their right, it is more likely that they are creating an answer in their mind. If they automatically look to their left, they are remembering something that actually happened.
  • A guilty person is usually uncomfortable with awkward silences and pauses, and will try to talk more than usually to fill up the silence and convince you.
  • When people are nervous, their saliva glands stop producing saliva and so their mouths become dry. If you notice the person licking their lips a lot, it cause be a sign that they are nervous about a lie they just told.

These are just a few telltale signs that someone is lying. They might not display all of these traits, but if they display several of them it can help you determine whether or not they are telling you the honest truth.

 

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net