Observing facial expressions to determine whether someone is lying or not may be able to save you from falling victim to a scam. It can also help you to trust your conscience safely when getting to know strangers. Jury analysts use lie detection when selecting a jury. Police use it when conducting interrogations. Even jurors in court use lie detection to determine which side to agree to. To use this technique, you need to learn how to read facial and body expressions that most people don't notice. It takes a little practice, but if you can get the hang of it, it's fun. To get started, read the following article….
Step
Method 1 of 4: Detecting Lies on Face and Eyes
Step 1. Pay attention to someone's micro-expressions
Micro-expressions are facial expressions that glimpse a person's face and reveal the true emotions behind a lie. Some people are naturally sensitive to this but almost anyone can train themselves to detect micro-expressions.
When someone is lying, the micro-expression is the emotion of distress. It is characterized by the eyebrows being pulled up towards the center of the forehead, resulting in short lines appearing on the forehead
Step 2. Notice the nose being touched and the mouth closing
People tend to touch their nose a lot when they're lying, but when they tell the truth they don't do it very often. This may be due to increased adrenaline in the capillary area of the nose, causing the nose to itch. People who are lying often cover their mouths with their hands or put their hands near their mouths, as if to cover up lies that are about to come out. If the mouth looks tense and the lips pursed, this indicates that he is in a difficult situation.
Step 3. Watch the person's eye movements
Usually a lie can be characterized by eye movements when someone is remembering something or making up a story. When people are remembering the details of something, their eyes move to the left if they are right-handed. If a right-handed person is making up a story, his eyes will move to the right. The opposite is true for left-handed people. Left-handers tend to blink faster when they are lying. This is more common in men than women. Another sign of lying is frequent rubbing of the eyes.
- Pay attention to the eyelids. When a person sees or hears something that is disapproved of, while blinking the eyelids tend to be closed longer than usual. However, this can change in a matter of minutes, so you need to know how a person blinks normally in an unstressed situation for a more accurate comparison. If the hand or finger is pointing at the eye, this may be another indicator to try to "cover up" the truth.
- Be careful about judging the veracity of someone's statements based on eye movements alone. Several recent scientific studies have cast doubt on the notion that eyes looking in a certain direction are a good indication that someone is lying. Many experts believe that eye direction is a statistically weak indicator of honesty.
Step 4. Don't use eye contact or lack of eye contact as the only indicator of honesty
Contrary to popular belief, a liar doesn't always avoid eye contact. Humans naturally break eye contact and look at an immovable object in order to focus and remember something. A liar may deliberately make eye contact to appear more sincere. This can be practiced to deal with discomfort and as a way to "prove" that what he is saying is true.
Many incidents show that liars tend to increase the frequency of eye contact because investigators often view eye contact as a clue to lying. To be clear, use the avoidance of eye contact as only one indicator in the context of general heightened anxiety when a liar is asked a difficult question
Method 2 of 4: Detecting Lies in Verbal Response
Step 1. Pay attention to the sound
A person's voice can be a good indicator of lying. He suddenly started talking faster or slower than usual. The tension will make his voice higher or his tone shaky. Stuttering is also a sign of lying.
Step 2. Pay attention to the redundant details
Notice if someone is talking too much. For example, “My mother lives in France, it's beautiful there, isn't it? You like the Eiffel tower, right? It's so clean in there.” Too many details show the anger of someone trying to make you believe what they are saying.
Step 3. Be careful with impulsive emotional responses
Time and duration tend to be lost when someone is lying. It happens because the person being asked has rehearsed the answer (or is hoping to be asked) or memorized something or whatever to fill in the blanks.
- If you ask someone and he or she responds immediately after being asked the question, then there's a good chance that person is lying. This is because the liar has rehearsed the answer or has thought of an answer to deal with the situation.
- Another clue is the omission of time-relevant facts such as “I left for work at 5am and when I got home at 5pm, he was dead.” In this shrewd example of lying, what happens between the two moves too smoothly.
Step 4. Pay close attention to someone's reaction to your question
A person who tells the truth does not feel the need to defend himself because he is telling the truth. A person who lies needs to compensate for his lie by attacking, dodging, or other evasive tactics.
- An honest person will often provide detailed explanations for other people's expressions of disbelief in the stories they tell. A person who intends to lie will not be prepared to reveal many facts but keep repeating what he has said.
- Listen for subtle delays when answering questions. An honest answer quickly comes to mind. Lying requires a quick mental analysis of what is being told to others to avoid inconsistencies and to make up new stories when needed. Remember, when people are trying to think to remember something, it doesn't mean they are lying. It's probably just a natural instinct.
Step 5. Be aware of someone's use of words
Verbal expressions can give clues as to whether someone is lying or not. These instructions are:
- Repeating exactly what you said when answering a question.
- Use avoidance tactics, such as asking repeated questions. Other avoidance tactics include stating that the question asked is awesome, the answer is not as simple as a yes or no, or responding in a confrontational style such as "Depends on what you mean by X" or "How do you know this story?"
- Avoid using short sentences like "I swear, I didn't know!" and not "don't know!" This is an attempt to clarify what he means.
- Speaks in messy and unreasonable sentences; liars often stop mid-sentence, start again, and then fail to finish the sentence.
- Use humor and/or sarcasm to avoid the subject of the question.
- Use statements such as “to be honest”, “to be frank”, “I am completely honest”, “I was never taught to lie”, and so on. These statements are signs of lies.
- Firmly positive questions will be answered quickly with negative statements, such as "Are you too lazy to wash those pots?" then answered "No, I'm not lazy to wash it," in an attempt to avoid the impression of a delayed answer.
Step 6. Pay attention when someone repeats a sentence
If someone almost always uses the exact same words, then he or she is probably lying. When a person is crafting a lie, he or she often tries to remember certain phrases or sentences that sound convincing. When asked to explain again, the liar will use the exact same “convincing” sentence.
Step 7. Notice the jump in the middle of the sentence
The mid-sentence jump occurs when a clever liar tries to distract himself from him by cutting off the sentence and talking about something else. Someone tried to change the subject of the conversation in a clever way: "I'm going to---Hey, did you get a haircut last weekend?"
Be careful with compliments especially those in questions. Liars know that people respond favorably to compliments. This situation would give him a chance to avoid being interrogated by complimenting someone. Beware of people who give compliments out of the blue
Method 3 of 4: Detecting Lies Through Body Language Gestures
Step 1. Observe when sweating
People tend to sweat more when they lie. In fact, measuring sweat is one way the polygraph test (“lie detector” in the movies) detects lies. After all, this is not always an indication of a reliable lie. Some people may sweat a lot because of nervousness, embarrassment, or in conditions that cause them to sweat more than normal. This is one indicator that should be read along with a number of other signs such as body shaking, flushed face, and difficulty swallowing.
Step 2. Watch when someone nods
If he nods or shakes his head as opposed to what is being said, this could be a sign of lying. This condition is called a “nonconformity.”
- For example, if someone says he did something like “I clean the pots clean” while shaking his head, this means that the pots were only wiped but not scrubbed. Unless he has practiced well, this action is an unconscious mistake that is easy to commit. Such a physical response is often a form of honesty.
- One might also hesitate before nodding in response. Honest people tend to nod in support of a statement or answer at the same time a question is asked. When someone tries to lie, there will be a delay in answering.
Step 3. Watch for unsteady movements
A sign someone is lying is, he can not be silent. Either his body that couldn't stay still or playing with things around him. Movements that cannot be silent occur because of the energy of anxiety generated by the fear of being found out. To release their anxious energy, liars often toy with chairs, handkerchiefs, or body parts.
Step 4. Observe the degree of imitation of the behavior
We naturally imitate the behavior of others when interacting. This action is a way to build a relationship and show interest. When lying, imitation of behavior may not occur because a liar puts great effort into creating another reality for the listener. Some examples of failed impersonations that can alert you when something goes wrong are:
- Stay away. When someone is telling the truth or not hiding something, he tends to lean towards the other person. Conversely, a liar will be more distant, as a sign of not wanting to provide more information than is needed. Staying away can also mean disliking or disinterest. Leaning away can also mean dislike or disinterest.
- When people tell the truth, head movements and body gestures tend to be imitated as part of the interplay between the speaker and the listener. A person who is trying to lie may be reluctant to do this, so signs not to imitate gestures or head movements may indicate an attempt to cover up something. You may even notice a deliberate act of turning your hand the other way or diverting the other way.
Step 5. Pay attention to the throat
A person will constantly try to moisten his throat when lying by swallowing or clearing his throat. Lying causes the body to increase the production of adrenaline, so that the saliva is sucked in and the amount becomes less. When saliva collects, it will swallow it. When saliva production runs low, it clears its throat.
Step 6. Observe the breath
A liar tends to breathe faster, characterized by a series of short breaths followed by one deep breath. The mouth may appear dry (causing much throat clearing). Mouth looks dry (making the throat also dry). Again, this happens because the body is stressed so that the heart beats faster and the lungs need more air.
Step 7. Watch the movement of other body parts
Pay attention to the hands, arms, and legs. In situations that are not stressful, people tend to be comfortable and take up space by opening their arms and arms wide. You can also spread your legs in a comfortable position. In people who are lying, these body movements tend to be limited, rigid, and self-directed. His hands touch the face, ears, or nape. Folded arms and legs and lack of hand movement can be a sign that you don't want to share information.
- Liars tend to avoid hand gestures that are considered normal during a discussion or conversation. They also carefully avoid finger-pointing, palm-opening, stippling (finger tips touching each other in a triangular shape, often associated as a sign of deep thinking), and so on.
- Observe his knuckles. A silent liar will only hold on to the edge of a chair or other object until his knuckles turn white. He didn't even notice what was going on.
- Behaviors as if they were dressing up are also common in people who are lying, such as playing with their hair, fixing a tie, or playing with the collar of a shirt.
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Two types of vigilance to note:
- Liars can be intentionally seen as "casual". Yawning and being bored may be signs of trying to be casual to cover up a lie. Just because he looks relaxed doesn't mean he isn't lying.
- Keep in mind that these signals may be a sign of anxiety and not a sign of lying. The person being questioned may not feel the need to worry because they are lying.
Method 4 of 4: Detecting Lies Through Interrogation
Step 1. Be careful
While it is possible to detect dishonesty and lies, it is possible to misinterpret. A number of factors can cause a person to appear to be lying. Whereas the "signs" may appear because of shyness, rigidity, awkwardness, or low self-esteem. People who are stressed are often mistaken for lying, because some signs of stress are similar to indicators of lying. For this reason, any observation of a person suspected of lying should include collecting a number of lying behaviors and responses, as there is no single sign.
Step 2. Look at the problem more broadly
When assessing body language such as verbal responses and other indicators of lying, consider the following factors:
- Is the person generally overly stressed, not just because they are in the current situation?
- Is there a cultural factor at play? It may be appropriate in one culture but dishonest in another.
- Are you personally prejudiced against the person? Do you want the person to lie? Be careful, you can fall into a trap!
- Is there a history that this person has ever lied? Is he experienced in lying?
- Is there a motive and you have good reason to suspect the lie?
- Are you really good at reading lies? Do you take the whole context into account and not just focus on one or two possible indicators?
Step 3. Take time to build a relationship with the person suspected of lying and create a calming atmosphere
The trick is to not show signs of suspicion in the person and try to imitate body language and the rhythm of the conversation. When asking the person, be understanding and not pushy. This approach will help let go of the person's defenses and can help you to read the signs more clearly.
Step 4. Establish basic behaviors
Basic behavior is how a person behaves when he is not lying. This will help you get a clue that the way the person is behaving today is different from how he or she would have behaved on a typical day. Start by getting to know the person if you don't already know him. Usually people will answer basic questions about themselves honestly. With familiar people, observing basic behavior is to ask questions you already know the answer to.
Step 5. Learn to observe avoidance
Usually, when people lie, they will tell you something that is true, but purposely not to answer your question. If someone responds to the question “Have you ever hit your wife?” Then replied "I love my wife, why would I do that?" The person is technically telling the truth, but is avoiding your actual question. This could indicate that he is lying or trying to hide something from you.
Step 6. Ask the person to repeat the story
If you're not sure whether someone is telling the truth or not, ask them to repeat the story a few times. It is very difficult to record incorrect information. In the process of repeating the lie, the liar will say something that is inconsistent, completely false, or dubious.
Ask the person to tell the story from behind. This is very difficult to do, especially when it comes to detail. Even a professional liar finds this reverse approach difficult to deal with effectively
Step 7. Look at the person suspected of lying in disbelief
If the person is lying, he will feel uncomfortable. If a person is telling the truth, he or she will often be angry or frustrated (lips pursed, eyebrows drooping, upper eyelids tense, and gaze drooping).
Step 8. Take advantage of the void
It is very difficult for a liar to avoid the void you create. He wants you to believe his lies; void gives no feedback whether you accept the story or not. By being calm and silent, many liars will continue to speak to fill in the blanks, spice up the story, and mess up the process without even being asked!
- Liars try to guess your mind to see if you know the signs of a lie. If you don't show any signs, many liars will feel uncomfortable.
- If you're a good listener, you'll avoid interruptions, which is a technique for letting things unfold. Practice not interrupting people if you have these tendencies-it will not only help you detect lies but will make you a better listener.
Step 9. Continue the investigation
If you have a strategy, investigate the facts behind what the liar is saying. A skilled liar will give you a number of reasons why you shouldn't talk to someone who can confirm or deny the story. This may be a lie in itself, so it may be useful to overcome your reluctance and investigate the person you have warned. Anything factual that can be investigated must be investigated.
Tips
- Liars don't talk much. If you ask, did you do it? Then he will answer with only yes and no. Be careful! Also when asking “Did you break the pot?” "How did you do that?" So there is no honest answer.
- Those who develop as clinical psychopaths or sociopaths will lie for their lives, as they manipulate reality to suit them more. Instead of trying to trap such people, take care of yourself and don't fall into the trap of their lies. They don't care at all about anyone but themselves and don't hesitate to pile lies upon lies. They don't care how much pain you feel.
- When someone tries to lie, they start to get nervous and try so hard to get you to believe them, like crying or pleading. He's also trying so hard to make eye contact that you might notice him.
- Liars will use objects around them to help provide details of the lie. For example, if there is a pen on the table, then he will include it in the story. This will reveal that the person is lying.
- You should also investigate whether the lie makes sense. When people lie, people are more anxious and tend to make up stories that don't make sense. If he tells a lot of details, then maybe he is lying. Ask him to tell the story a few times and make sure he tells the same outline as before.
- Some of the liar behaviors listed above are similar to the reactions and behavior of someone who may not be lying at all. People who are anxious, embarrassed, easily frightened, haunted by guilt for some reason, and so on will show an anxious and concerned reaction when being interrogated or under pressure. Such people can easily become defensive if accused of lying, especially those with strong feelings of honesty and justice. It looks like they're lying, but often it's just shock or embarrassment to be in the limelight unexpectedly.
- Make sure you come to a positive conclusion when someone is lying before you reveal it to them. You certainly don't want to destroy friendships/relationships for no reason.
- Also pay attention to rapid eye movements. Liars will try to look at you, but not make eye contact. He will also look around the room.
- Most people will tell the truth all the time and be proud of it. While the liar will "sail near the wind". They artificially reinforce their reputation so that they seem more convincing or attractive than they really are.
- A great way to practice your lie-detecting skills is to watch the trial broadcast on television. That way you can find out who is lying. Trust your instincts. Look closely to see if you can detect any clues to the lie of the person you most suspect in the case (though sometimes both sides are lying!) If you agree with the jury's verdict, then you've likely detected signs of the same.
- Some of the behaviors described above can emerge when a person concentrates deeply on a conversation (for example, if the topic is complicated or the person being thought to be lying is depressed).
- When people are remembering events, their eyes will turn to other directions when thinking. If he keeps looking at you and doesn't think about it, then the story could be repeated and he is lying.
- It's easy to spot someone you know personally when they're lying.
- Some people are very experienced in lying and even very professional. He had told his story so many times that it seemed believable, right down to the day, date and time it happened! In fact, our memories are pulled back a little bit each time we recount events. So, making up stories to deceive others was so commonplace. Sometimes, you need to accept that you can't always succeed in lying.
- Botox injections or plastic surgery can also be mixed with telltale signs and give a false positive impression. It's hard to express yourself if your face is stiff from cosmetic action.
- Some people have a reputation for lying. Keep this in mind, but don't lead your opinion. People can change at any time and the effect of turning over a new leaf can be destroyed by diminishing trust in someone because of their past reputation. Previous reputation wasn't everything. Like any telltale sign of a lie, a person's reputation must be viewed as part of a wider context, on a case-by-case basis. Also consider that sometimes those with a bad reputation have previously been taken advantage of by someone who has taken advantage of it, to put the person with a bad reputation in the wrong position.
Things that must be considered
- Body language is an indicator, not a fact. Don't judge someone because you can read their body language and the signs they're lying. Always look for concrete evidence before drawing final conclusions. Don't lead the liar into the "I'd be acting stupid if I didn't take this seriously." Drop the self-righteous attitude and look for the facts, motives, and broader consequences. While you have the right to feel betrayed and hurt if someone has lied, wanting someone to be a liar because he or she has signs that match your prejudice can mask your decision.
- Keep in mind that eye contact is considered rude in some cultures, so this may explain why someone is reluctant to look you in the eye consistently. In addition, people who have experienced difficult parenting/relationships or violence that caused them to be submissive, etc., will avoid eye contact as a habit or because of a lack of self-confidence. People who are shy or have social anxiety often share the same body language as a liar (eg, avoiding eye contact, dislikes being around other people, anxious, and so on). So, before jumping to conclusions and judging an innocent person, put facts above facts, not what you think based on theory alone.
- Some people become restless when they need to go to the toilet or feel hot/cold.
- Forcing a smile is often an attempt to be polite, don't take it to heart. If someone is pretending to smile at you, it could mean that he or she wants to make a good impression on you, respect you as a person and show respect.
- Be careful how often you judge someone's truth. If you're always on the lookout for lies, people will avoid you for fear of being asked again and again. Being constantly attacking and suspicious of someone is not a sign of vigilance, but a sign of obsessive distrust of others.
- Some people have a dry throat and will automatically swallow and clear their throat frequently.
- Someone who is deaf or hard of hearing may study your mouth instead of your eyes in order to read your lips or better understand what you are saying.
- People with bipolar disorder often speak faster when they are "crazy".
- Several studies have shown that interrogation of people suspected of lying should always be conducted in their mother tongue. Even people who are experts in speaking a foreign language will not show the same reaction (in spoken language as well as body language) when asked a question using that foreign language.
- Beware, there are people who like to look you in the eye. They may practice doing this and use it as a way to irritate others. They may also think this is polite because they have previously been taught to make eye contact as a way of showing respect for others.
