Signs Someone is Lying to You

Everyone lies! The reasons and extent to which we lie may vary but the simple fact is that everyone lies. And some estimates say we do so once or twice daily. As a bunch of liars, wouldn't it be nice to cut through all of the bull? Did you know most times people will unconsciously display certain signs when they are lying? Find out what these signs are so that you have a better chance of getting to the truth of the matter in the future.

Liars and eye contact don't go well together. Too much or too little eye contact is a big indicator that someone is quite possibly lying. Liars normally avoid looking people in the eye. People generally make eye contact for at least half of a conversation. Anything less than half would be seen as suspicious. If the liar is really working hard to remain undetected, they might try to "stare you down." A side effect of this and another warning signal is that of excessive blinking.

A lot of times people who aren't telling the truth will elaborate on the little details. They will pick some obscure and miniscule point and go on and on about that instead of staying focused on the main topic or issue. For example, instead of addressing whether or not the homework is done, a long story about what happened in homeroom right before the bell rang takes place.

A pursed mouth is also an indicator of lying. The reason for this tell-tale sign is that when people lie, they can't get enough oxygen. To compensate they will breathe through their mouths instead of through their noses.

Another sign is that of body language. This is where fidgeting and just general nervous behavior comes in. You see this a lot in kids, but adults will unconsciously fidget when lying as well. Research also shows that liars tend to touch their noses a lot, along with shrugging shoulders, tapping feet, turning away, less smiling, dilated pupils, looking up or down, and blushing or paling when in conversation.

A person's speech patterns can also point to lying. It is all about stalling mechanisms throughout the conversation. A change in the pitch of someone's tone, pausing, throat clearing, stammering, and other stalling techniques could indicate that the person is lying.

Pay attention to what is being said throughout the conversation as well. Liars will often answer questions that haven't been asked and they are also overly defensive. They might attempt to point the finger and accuse you of something as a way of misdirection. Liars will make statements that contradict each other and these inconsistencies point to a lie somewhere along the road.

Liars are also big on changing the subject. When lying, someone might try to redirect the conversation by using humor or sarcasm. They might answer a question with a question of their own. If you change the subject, a liar will go right along with the transition while someone telling the truth might question the abrupt change.

Yes, we live in a world of liars, but at least you know what to look for now. Perhaps that lie won't slip by so easily next time. On the other hand, maybe you can try to perfect the art or at least have fun trying (*wink wink*).