How can you tell if someone is lying?

How can you tell if someone is lying?

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Lying is a common phenomenon in our lives. We all lie from time to time, sometimes without even realising it. But how can you tell that someone is lying?

In this article, we will look at the main signs of lying, both in face-to-face communication and on the phone. We will also talk about how to catch a liar out.

Signs of lying

Signs of lying can be both physical and behavioural. Physical signs include:

• Changes in breathing: a liar may have shallow or rapid breathing.
• Reddening or paling of the face: these changes can be caused by nervousness or stress, which often accompany lying.
• Changes in the voice: a liar’s voice may become quieter or louder, and its timbre may also change.
• A mismatch between gestures and words: a liar may use gestures that do not match what they are saying.

Behavioural signs of lying include:

Avoiding eye contact: most people believe this, but research does not confirm it: according to the meta-analysis by Bella DePaulo (2003), eye contact is practically unrelated to lying. A truthful person may also look away — out of nervousness or shyness.
Changing the subject: a liar may try to change the subject to avoid answering awkward questions.
Too many details: a liar may deliberately give too many details to make their story sound more plausible.
Too many denials: a liar may frequently deny or refute accusations of lying.

How can you catch a liar out?

If you suspect that someone is lying, you can try to catch them out using the following methods:

Ask specific questions: if you ask a liar specific questions that they cannot answer, they will most likely stumble or give a false answer.
Repeat what the liar said: if you repeat what the liar said, they may correct you if you have misunderstood something.
Change the subject: if the liar tries to change the subject, you can keep talking about what interests you.
Give the liar time to think: if you give the liar time to think, they will most likely make a mistake.

How to tell if someone is lying depending on their gender

It is often said that men and women lie differently: men supposedly look away and get irritable, while women give an “empty” look and become overly emotional. There is no reliable research to support this: behaviour while lying depends on the person and the situation, not on gender. According to the meta-analysis by Bond and DePaulo (2006), people tell truth from lies “by eye” in about 54% of cases — only slightly better than tossing a coin. More in the article “5 signs of lying from an ex-FBI agent: what actually works”.

However, it is important to remember that these signs are not a 100% guarantee that someone is lying. People can lie in different ways, and even one and the same person can lie differently.

When it matters not to guess but to know for sure, polygraph services come to the rescue.