How to spot a liar

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017 | 2 a.m.

Everyone lies. We hope the deceptions are minor and few and far between, but it’s human nature to be dishonest, at least occasionally.

In fact, researchers from the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that people’s capacity to deceive is the major factor that separates humans from other animals. Deception is socially adaptive for humans because it saves us from social and psychological chaos, the scientists said.

But human beings are terrible liars. Our minds work faster than our bodies, and as a result, we give many subtle hints to our subterfuge.

That can come in handy if you are trying to tell whether someone is leveling with you. Here are some simple ways to decipher whether someone is lying.

How to familiarize yourself with someone’s truthful baseline

The best way to tell if someone is lying is to determine how he or she acts when telling the truth. A normally fidgety person may come off as dishonest because of a nervous tick when in fact, that’s just his or her nature. If possible, determine a baseline for someone’s behavior before you try to test his or her truthfulness:

• Be sure the person feels comfortable.

• Ask about subjects the person knows. Try simple questions about work or family to see how the person behaves when telling the truth. Does he speak fast or slow? Is her voice high or low?

• Observe. Note any unusual mannerisms the person displays when answering simple questions, such as foot tapping, hair tossing or throat clearing.

Once you know how the person behaves when being truthful, it will be easier to note changes in that behavior when he or she is lying.

Lying behaviors

One lying behavior shouldn’t signal a red flag. But a cluster should. If you notice several of these reactions and they aren’t part of the person’s baseline, it’s likely the person is lying.

• Too much information: Conversely, someone who has an elaborate explanation and excessive detail for every question you ask may be lying. Oversharing can be a sign of rehearsed answers and/or nervousness.

• Overreacting: A person who flies off the handle when asked a question could be trying to create a situation to ensure that he or she is never asked the question again. If someone is telling the truth, there’s generally no reason to become offended or angry.

• Delayed response: The first three to five seconds after a question is asked are essential to tell whether someone is lying. The person may pause, stumble, stutter or cough as his or her brain tries to create the lie. His or her face may flash an expression of surprise or distress.

• Indirect answers: Guilty people rarely answer questions directly. Rather, they’ll tell you to trust them, offer information about their good deeds or religious affiliations, or try to convince you of their honesty. If someone has nothing to hide, they will answer your questions without trying to distract.

• Leniency: This is a great tool to use with children, although it also works with adults. If some sort of wrongdoing has been committed, ask the suspect what he or she thinks the punishment should be. Innocent people tend to suggest appropriately harsh consequences, while guilty parties often favor leniency.

• Impersonal language: Another telltale sign of lying is avoiding the words “I” or “me.” People who are lying often speak in the third person or truncate sentences to try to separate psychologically from the deception.

• Too much proclaiming: Beware of someone who repeatedly uses phrases such as, “To tell the truth,” “To be perfectly honest,” or “As God is my witness.” Honest people simply state the truth; they don’t need to persuade you.

Body language

Sometimes, watching a person’s body can be more telling than listening to his or her words.

• Nervous movement: Fidgeting can be a sign of guilt and anxiety, especially when lying to someone you love.

• Freezing: This is one of the most telling indicators of a lie. People who are being dishonest commonly freeze their upper body. It’s like a tortoise retreating into its shell.

• Face touching: People often cover their mouths or touch their lips when telling a lie. It’s the body’s subconscious attempt to create a barrier to communication. Liars often also touch their ears or nose. Spikes in anxiety cause the nervous system to drain blood from the face, which can create a sensation of cold or itchiness.

• Staring: Most people assume that liars look down or avoid eye contact. However, a hard stare without any shifts in eye movement also can indicate deception. It can be a sign that the person is trying too hard to convince you of honesty.

• Head movement: Look for subtle disconnects in body language, particularly a person’s head nodding or shaking when his or her speech indicates the opposite of the head motion. Also, when people are being honest, their head typically moves before they speak. Liars tend to speak first, then nod or shake their head second.

• Eye movement: Generally, upward eye movement to the left indicates a lie. Upward eye movement to the right indicates honesty.

• Pointing: When caught in a lie, many people begin to point excessively, which is a sign of hostility and defensiveness. It’s their attempt to turn the tables on you.

• Foot movement: Feet can give away more information than faces. If a person’s feet suddenly start moving, it could indicate a triggering of the body’s natural flight mechanism. Similarly, when standing, a person whose feet are squared toward you is more likely to be telling the truth than someone whose feet are pointed away or toward an exit.