If you want to avoid being deceived, then it’s important to know how liars work and what they do. Here are some tips on how to spot a liar:
Listen to verbal context and content
Listen to their words. The words people use reveal a lot about their mental state and emotional intelligence. For example, if someone uses the word “I” frequently (i.e., “I think this is a good idea,” or “I feel like we should do this”), it indicates an introverted personality type who prefers to be alone rather than in groups of people. On the other hand, if someone says, “We need to…” or uses lots of plural pronouns such as “we,” “our” etc., then they’re likely more comfortable around others and enjoy working collaboratively on projects with peers
Study the body language
A person who is lying will often demonstrate body language that suggests nervousness. They may fidget, avoid eye contact and cross their arms. The face of a liar can give away the fact that they are lying. A flushed face or dry mouth are both signs of lying as well as rapid blinking, which occurs when someone is trying not to cry or get emotional about something they’re saying (i.e., “I was only in there for five minutes”). Lastly, if you’re feeling particularly observant and want to go above and beyond when it comes to spotting liars–and if you have access to someone who’s being interviewed on camera–then watch how their eyes move during their speech: Are they looking directly into the lens? Or do they seem distracted by something else in the room?
Note emotional gestures and contradictions
Emotional gestures are facial expressions and body language. While they can be subtle, they’re still important to notice. A person’s emotional gestures will help you understand their true feelings. You need to pay attention so that you don’t miss these cues in conversation! If someone is lying, their words may not match up with their emotional gestures or other forms of nonverbal communication.
Interactions and reactions
In order to spot liars, it’s important to pay attention to how people interact with each other. When someone is lying, they often look away from the person they are talking to and use more eye contact with people they are not lying to. This can help you determine if someone is being honest or not as well as their general state of mind. The same goes for body language: if someone seems nervous or uncomfortable (like fidgeting), chances are that’s because he/she knows there’s something fishy about his/her story!
Look closely at microexpressions
Microexpressions are involuntary and fleeting, which makes them hard to detect. However, if you know what you’re looking for, they can help you determine if someone is lying. You may have heard of microgestures before–they’re brief facial expressions that indicate an emotion or feeling but aren’t big enough to be considered full-blown expressions. For example, when your friend asks how her new haircut looks on her and she smiles awkwardly while averting her eyes away from yours (this is called “duping delight”)–that’s a microgesture! But it’s not always easy to catch these tiny movements in the moment so here’s a step-by-step guide that will help:
Conclusion
So what can you do to improve your ability to spot liars? First, it’s important to keep in mind that most people are not out there lying all the time. In fact, studies have shown that only about 3% of people lie on a regular basis. Most of us tell the truth most of the time–and even when we do lie, it’s usually because we want something good for ourselves or our loved ones (like avoiding punishment for breaking curfew). So if someone says something that seems off or doesn’t seem true (even if they don’t look like their usual self when doing so), there’s probably a reason behind it! Second: listen carefully when someone speaks; pay attention to how they say things rather than just what they’re saying (“verbal context”). Observe their body language too; watch carefully for signs such as fidgeting hands or crossed arms meaning discomfort with what being said.
