All humans have the ability to lie, and many of us do. Fortunately, experts say there are simple ways to detect if someone else is lying to you.
“Keep in mind these are just pointers,” NLP coach and life coach Andy Cooley told the British website Metro . “Different people communicate in different ways. Trust your instincts first and foremost, especially with those you know well.”
Cooley shared a set of methods that can help us tell if someone is lying.
Eye contact
Andy says eyes can tell a whole story. “Whether they look at you or not, it’s not really a sign of lying,” he explains. A 2015 University of Michigan study showed that 70% of people in 120 media segments lied while maintaining direct eye contact.
“If they usually look away when answering but maintain contact when listening to a question, or if they usually maintain eye contact but then look away when asked – this is what you’re looking for,” Cooley continued.
And “discovering shifts in” normal “behaviour” could be a clue.
Touching the face
Have you noticed someone touching their face more than usual? This may be a sign of a big lie.
“People who lie may touch their face or mouth more than usual. They may hide their mouth behind their hands when responding. It’s as if they’re trying to hide the fact that they’re not telling the truth,” Cooley says.
fidgeting
Lying can cause a physical reaction in many people. “If they start shifting uncomfortably in the seat, rocking or tapping feet, rubbing hands or the person generally seems nervous, they may withhold information or change the story,” Cooley explains.
He continued: “When we lie, this affects our nervous system and we can end up feeling itchy or tingling and this externally appears as fidgeting.”
Head nods and nods
Cooley urges people to watch head movements closely. He adds, “If the opposite person says no by nodding their head or saying something positive but shaking it from side to side, these are described as mismatched gestures. Usually if we say no, we nod, and when we say yes, we nod. cues, they can give an idea that something conflicting is going on between the person’s thoughts and words.”
What do they say and how do they say it
“People who lie may pause before answering a question, as if they are trying to come up with a convincing lie,” Cooley explains. “Also look for holes in the story. If you ask someone questions about what they said, the liar may start to contradict themselves and forget what they said earlier.”
