How Can You Tell If Someone Is Lying

By: Isabel Prontes

Break Studios Contributing Writer

If you are suspicious about whether someone is telling you the truth, you should considering reading up on these how can you tell if someone is lying tips and advice. One of the most frustrating things can be trying to figure out whether or not someone is telling you the truth, whether it's about infidelity, finances or any other topic under the sun. Thankfully, several key tips can help you in identifying the truth and if someone is a liar.

  1. Look for inconsistencies. When someone is lying, they usually haven't spent too much time thinking up the details of their story, resulting in inconsistencies and things not matching up. On the other hand, when they previously think about the story too much, they also could over-explain things, which also appears suspicious. When someone is lying to you, small details tend to change (or disappear) every time you discuss the matter.
  2. The eyes say it all. If you are trying to determine whether someone is lying to you, it can help to look deeply into their eyes. If they avert their eyes or are incapable of holding your glance and looking straight at you, it can be an indication that they are uncomfortable because they are not exactly being truthful.
  3. Pay attention to any smiling. When someone is smiling in a genuine manner, it tends to reach their eyes. If you get a cold feeling of insincerity when you look into someone's eyes as he/she smiles, he/she's likely not telling you the truth.
  4. Defensiveness is a major sign of dishonesty. If you ask somebody something and they overly defensive and are quick to anger, it likely is because they are hiding something and overcompensating.
  5. Note the person's body language. Look for discomfort regarding body language. Liars tend to feel overwhelmed by insecurity as they are engaging in the act and it can manifest itself in the form of folding the arms together, tapping on things, shrugging of the shoulders, restlessness, biting of the nails and keeping their palms up. Also be aware of any abnormal vocal patterns, including speaking slower than usual and twitching of the voice. The slow speech pattern can be due to the fact that the person is making up the lie as they talk. Sweating can also indicate lying because of increased anxiety.
  6. Get to the subject. If the person you are speaking to is trying really hard to stay away from and avoid the subject he is lying about, you will notice that he will be eager to change the topic when given any opportunity.
Posted on: Apr. 01, 2011