How Can You Tell if Someone has Lied?

Five Surefire Ways
To Spot A Liar…

Do you remember the old joke: “How can you tell if a politician is lying? Answer: Their lips are moving!”

Well, almost everyone lies at sometime, according to Dr. Robert Galatzer-Levy of the University of Chicago. In fact, research has shown that people lie in one-fourth of their daily social interactions.” White lies, little kid lies, vicious lies, lies of infidelity...and infamous ‘presidential’ lies! There can be severe penalties for lying. If you lie in court and get caught, you can go to prison. Most liars usually give themselves away with their body language or their words. Here are five surefire ways for becoming an expert ‘liar detective’:

1. Shifty Eyes. Shifty eyes are the hallmark of a liar, according to a recent study of people polled in 75 countries. Looking away or lack of eye contract are non-verbal signs that may indicate the person is lying.
2. Body Language Giveaways. Look at body movements. Is the person fidgeting? Is their body stiffening? Watch their hands, fingers, legs, and feet. Also, look at their emotional facial expressions. Watch for small, brief expressions that run counter to the person’s facial gestures.
3. Verbal Clues. Liars tend to hesitate, stammer, or stutter when speaking. Watch for slow speech, pauses, and a higher-pitched voice.
4. Inconsistencies. If a “liar” tells you something that doesn’t add up, ask for an explanation. Then watch for clues. Are they defensive? Do they give you too much information and go overboard with a lie?
5. Intuition. Pay attention to clues. Listen to what a person is saying (and how they’re saying it). Look at what a person is telling you with their body and gestures. Does the person say they’re glad to see you, but then moves away...or gives you a tepid handshake?
The chance a person is lying increases when their words and gestures don’t match. Asking questions is the best way of getting to the truth.