What things have you noticed people do when they are not saying exactly what they mean?

Answer 1

Evasive maneuvers !
When people do not wish to tell you more and you keep on prying for details etc, they have a body language of shutting you off, like a veil comes between you , an invisible one.

You see this in children, teenagers and adults.
It is the "go away, stop bothering me" type of action.

Some people are naturally private, and will disclose only as much as they feel comfortable. A person who is a good people person can sense this and break down that barrier in other ways rather than hammering the person with questions.

Good interrogation skills? No, just waiting for the details to come out slowly. Consideration, being silent, good listening skills.

Bad listeners will get the things you asked about. This is what people do when they do not trust you.

Answer 2

eye movement is a good cue to see if someone is lying. For instance, if they look up and to the left they are using the creative part of their mind to "create" an answer. If they look up and to the right they are trying to "recount" an answer.
Any answer where a person looks anywhere to the left usually means they are creating what they are saying, whereas a look to the right is more related to memory.
*the above comment is about right-handed people. For left-handed people it's opposite.

Apart from that, there is always meta-talk. The repetition of certain words, or comments like "I'll tell you what" or "believe me when I say..." or "I'm not kidding when I say..." are also cues for lies.

Fidgeting and finger twitches, bouncing knees, intentionally missing (or holding) eye-contact, and sweatiness are all other things to watch for...

Answer 3

Are we talking subconcious discrepancies or blatant subversion?

Mulling over or repeating of previous comments usually indicates uninentional lack of wording, as well as the 'brain fart' associated with loss of the words they're trying to remember.

Watch facial features, averted gaze and fidgeting for intentional misleading though. The face is the best way to identify either lying or deception due to most facial actions being semi-autonomous. It's not as easy to control you features as oppose to your hands and feet.

Answer 4

Normal everyday people or Politicians? Normal people can't stare into your eyes and lie with a straight face. Politicians can and do every time they open their mouths.

Answer 5

they feel uneasy like they twirl their hair. they look down. they can't stare straight at you. they frequently say "uhm" like they're looking for the right words to say.

that's all based from experience :))