how do you know if someone is lying to you?

Question

how can you tell? things like body language, tell tale signs,any advice?

Answer 1

I accused my husband of something he "didn't" do, so I could see his reaction...now I know how he reacts when he's lying.

Answer 2

Body Language of Lies:
• Physical expression will be limited and stiff, with few arm and hand movements. Hand, arm and leg movement are toward their own body the liar takes up less space.

• A person who is lying to you will avoid making eye contact.

• Hands touching their face, throat & mouth. Touching or scratching the nose or behind their ear. Not likely to touch his chest/heart with an open hand.

Emotional Gestures & Contradiction
• Timing and duration of emotional gestures and emotions are off a normal pace. The display of emotion is delayed, stays longer it would naturally, then stops suddenly.

• Timing is off between emotions gestures/expressions and words. Example: Someone says "I love it!" when receiving a gift, and then smile after making that statement, rather then at the same time the statement is made.

• Gestures/expressions don’t match the verbal statement, such as frowning when saying “I love you.”

• Expressions are limited to mouth movements when someone is faking emotions (like happy, surprised, sad, awe, )instead of the whole face. For example; when someone smiles naturally their whole face is involved: jaw/cheek movement, eyes and forehead push down, etc.

Interactions and Reactions
• A guilty person gets defensive. An innocent person will often go on the offensive.

• A liar is uncomfortable facing his questioner/accuser and may turn his head or body away.

• A liar might unconsciously place objects (book, coffee cup, etc.) between themselves and you.

Related Books:


Never be Lied to Again



Body Language
Verbal Context and Content
• A liar will use your words to make answer a question. When asked, “Did you eat the last cookie?” The liar answers, “No, I did not eat the last cookie.”

•A statement with a contraction is more likely to be truthful: “ I didn't do it” instead of “I did not do it”

• Liars sometimes avoid "lying" by not making direct statements. They imply answers instead of denying something directly.

• The guilty person may speak more than natural, adding unnecessary details to convince you... they are not comfortable with silence or pauses in the conversation.

• A liar may leave out pronouns and speak in a monotonous tone. When a truthful statement is made the pronoun is emphasized as much or more than the rest of the words in a statement.

• Words may be garbled and spoken softly, and syntax and grammar may be off. In other
words, his sentences will likely be muddled rather than emphasized.

Other signs of a lie:
• If you believe someone is lying, then change subject of a conversation quickly, a liar follows along willingly and becomes more relaxed. The guilty wants the subject changed; an innocent person may be confused by the sudden change in topics and will want to back to the previous subject.

• Using humor or sarcasm to avoid a subject.

Final Notes:
Obviously, just because someone exhibits one or more of these signs does not make them a liar. The above behaviors should be compared to a persons base (normal) behavior whenever possible.

Answer 3

The truth is there's no sure fire way of spotting a liar. I wonder why your asking, is it that you don't trust this person because of something they'd done or is it that you've been lied to the past and don't want it to happen again. We all feel really silly when we find out that we've been taken in by a lie. But every one of us at one time or another has and will do again. I got badly hurt by my last long term partner (we've been split 6yrs), due to lies and stuff. that recently I met a really genuine guy but wouldn't put the past to bed, instead dissected everything he did or said looking for the catch or lie. This didn't go down well as it didn't take him long to realise I didn't trust him and without trust you have no relationship. So I'm afraid to say, you just have to trust and take things at face value. If its a lie it will come out soon enough on its own. But if you go looking you could ruin the best thing that ever happened to you. the person taken in by a lie is not gullible or dumb, but nice, honest and caring.

Answer 4

whenever someone is lying to you that person can usually never look you in the eye and seems to become figity likethey keep looking away or moving around, etc.

but most importantly when they lying they tend to give too much detail about something like they went and planned a long speech about what they 'did or was doing'. that is a sign to look for, if you ask them something and it only needs a simple answer they give too much detail.. in some rare case i found a girl that would 'blush' or go red everytime she was trying to lie to me, so to answer your question its all in their body language and how they act around you and the things they say that shows you if they are lying alot.

but be careful coz there are people who seem to have become expert liars so you have to look extra hard to figure out if they lying or not

Answer 5

I am not as good at judging when women are lying but as for men it is my experience that they lie "in color". Basically providing unasked for details or setting the lie up ahead of time. Planting the seed. Nothing specific with body language it is in the details. Pay attention men usually will slip up or you will notice more and more not adding up. Also my experience that the truth comes out. Pay attention when around their friends and family they will usually not be able to keep up a lie around them.

Answer 6

The only sure way to tell if someone is lying is obtain facts pertaining to the subject in question.If the matter is unimportant it does not matter if they are lying.If the matter is one of life or death then great efforts must be taken to determine the facts so that a balanced judgment may be made.Even if a person says they are lying that may itself be a lie.

Answer 7

With friends or family there is usually a give away. The very fact you are asking this question means you have doubts about information you have received. ALMOST always, these "instincts" mean something isn't quite right & needs investigating. Go with the gut, but BE CAREFUL as there is always a chance instinct can be a red herring.

Answer 8

If there nose grows thats a tell tale sign!

Answer 9

They break eye contact & look away for a second whilst lying, they touch their face/head or do something fidgity with their hands, clear their throat/cough, or turn their body language so it's not directkky facing you.

Answer 10

some people are really good liars some are bad and you can just notice the lie straight off, mostly you can tell by the look in the persons eyes. if they stare at you it seems they are trying too hard to be honest, or their eyes will go shifty and they'll avoid contact. if they are telling the truth then they will look at you normally. (hope that makes sense)

Answer 11

Every liar is different, some are too good at it.

Look for absolutes. A liar will always use absolutes.

Look for "It is too good to be true". It usually is.

Look for half-truths. Something that is only partly true. A good liar will put enough truth in to make it believable.

Look for contradictions, liars will contradict themselves.

You also need to define what a lie is. A lie is any statement intended to deceive.

Someone who tells you incorrect information, that they believe is true is not lying.

Somone who tells you the truth and does it in such as way that you will not believe it, is trying to deceive you.