How can you tell if someone is lying to you?
Well, if it’s a politician watch their lips, if they are moving the odds are they’re lying to you.
Other times, it’s not so easy. Say your husband comes home late with lipstick on his collar – and it’s not your shade? He could be telling the truth that he was minding his own business when a lipstick tree fell over on top of him.
It could happen.
Recent studies show that the majority of people you talk to on a daily basis are big, fat liars. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Another new study argues that the younger a person is when they learn to lie, the more successful they will become in life!
No telling if that’s true, the respondents could be lying.
A 2002 study conducted by University of Massachusetts Amherst psychologist Robert S. Feldman found that 60% of people lied during a 10-minute conversation – and they told an average of two to three lies in that time.
Luckily, fibs are fairly easy to spot — you just have to know the signs.
First off, to tell if someone is lying, you need to understand how the person usually acts, according to Dr. Lillian Glass, a behavioral analyst and body language expert who has worked with the FBI on unmasking signals of deception.
To figure out if someone is lying, you will want to pay careful attention to their facial expressions, body language, and speech patterns, Glass writes in her book “The Body Language of Liars.”
For example, if someone makes a sudden head movement when you ask them a direct question, they may be lying to you about something.
The head will be “retracted or jerked back, bowed down, or cocked or tilted to the side,” Glass said. This will often happen right before the person is expected to respond to a question, she added.
Oh, and listen to their breathing. When lying a person may begin to breathe heavily.
“It's a reflex action,” Glass said.
Now, we all know that people fidget when they get nervous, so a person might overcompensate when lying by remaining extra rigid.
Another thing to look for is people who repeat words or phrases. That’s right, another thing to look for is people who repeat words or phrases.
This happens because they're trying to convince you, and themselves, of something, Glass explained.
“They’re trying to validate the lie in their mind,” she said.
It is also a way of buying time as they gather their thoughts.
Other tip-offs that someone may be less than truthful include:
§ Putting a hand over their mouth
§ They instinctively cover vulnerable body parts (head, throat, abdomen, etc.)
§ Shuffling the feet
§ Biting lips
§ They point a lot
“When a liar becomes hostile or defensive, he is attempting to turn the tables on you,” Glass said. The liar will get hostile because he is angry that you've discovered his lies, which may result in a lot of pointing, she explained.
Also, when people lie, it’s common that they break eye contact, but the liar could go the extra mile to maintain eye contact in attempt to control and manipulate you.
“[Bernie] Madoff, like most con men, overcompensated and stared at people longer than usual, often without blinking at regular intervals,” Glass said.
When people tell the truth, most will occasionally shift their eyes around and may even look away from time to time, she said.
“Liars, on the other hand, will use a cold, steady gaze to intimidate and control,” Glass said.
How prevalent is lying?
Well, 12% of adults admit to lying often; that means 88% lied in answer to that question. And one in every three people lie on their resume. That’s roughly the same amount as those who lie about their diet or exercise regimen.
Men tell six lies a day to their partners, boss or co-workers. Women are the fairer sex – they only tell three lies a day.
One other thing to look for in spotting a liar is when someone gives too much information. That’s one trick police use to detect liars.
“When someone goes on and on and gives you too much information — information that is not requested and especially an excess of details — there is a very high probability that he or she is not telling you the truth,” Glass said.
So, why do people lie?
We could tell you, but you can’t handle the truth.
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
