How To Spot A LIAR
Everybody lies; the only variable is about what. This is not just a quote taken from Dr. House; it's a fact that all of us must accept, whether we like it or not. The average human hears between 10 to 200 lies a day, depending on the number of social interactions they have. So, it's easy to imagine why, for most of our history, we focused on developing ways to detect liars and make people confess the truth.
Starting from medieval torture devices to polygraphs, brain, and voice scanners, humans have found many different ways to detect lies. But all of these devices can be fooled with enough preparation, so they're not even considered reliable enough to be used in court. So how can you actually know if someone is lying to you? Well, you've come to the right place, Alexa, because we're about to solve this mystery once and for all.
After watching this video, you'll have a much easier time going from lie spotting to truth seeking. So make sure to stick with us until the end. You don't want to be fooled again because you cherry-picked here and there. So let's dive in, shall we? Here are 15 ways to know if someone is lying to you.
Welcome to a lux!
Number one: Are they avoiding eye contact? It's a known fact that liars have trouble keeping eye contact. That's because they're feeling extreme feelings of discomfort. When people lie, the natural instinct is to avoid eye contact in order to not give themselves away and limit the amount of emotion they're showing. If someone isn't directly looking at you or is looking up to the right for extended periods of time, well, unless they have some kind of neurodivergent condition, the chances are high they're making something up. That's a sign you need to ask more detailed questions about what they're saying in order to detect possible holes in their narrative. Just keep in mind that this goes the opposite way for people who are left-handed. Shifty eyes might also signal dishonesty, so pay attention to that as well. The eyes are the mirror to the soul, so if you want to catch a liar, you might want to pay attention to that.
Number two: Liars are inconsistent in their stories. If the person's story changes or there are inconsistencies, it could be a sign they're lying. This is because when people lie, they often have to remember the details of their made-up story, which will put them in a difficult situation. Memory isn't always reliable, and as a result, their story might change or have inconsistencies. There's scientific evidence to back this up, as research has shown that people are more likely to lie when they're asked to recall events in reverse order. This strategy creates a lot of headaches for the liar, as they're forced to focus on the details they mentioned earlier while the investigator can examine their body language. This is one of the best ways to catch a liar because, by pointing out certain contradictions in their story, you could easily get an emotional reaction out of them.
Number three: Are they using qualifying words? Liars could use statements like "Well, to be honest," or "To tell you the truth," to qualify their statements. This is because they're trying to appear sincere and honest, even though they're lying. A study published in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology found that people who used qualifying language were perceived as less trustworthy and less credible. This could act as a red flag in situations where you're suspecting someone of being dishonest. So, the next time you hear someone using qualifying language, pay attention because they might be up to something.
Number four: Check their body language. There are a few reasons why looking at someone's body language can help you determine if they're lying. First, liars may exhibit signs of anxiety or nervousness, such as fidgeting, sweating, or avoiding eye contact. Now, this could be a sign that they have general anxiety disorder or another neurodivergent condition, but it could also be a sign that they're hiding something. Secondly, liars may try to distract from the lie by using body language, such as excessive gesturing or avoiding physical contact. They might even try to put something in between you and them in order to protect themselves. Additionally, liars could cross their arms or lean away from the listener in order to deflect attention from the lie. Suffice it to say, body language is one of the primary indicators to look out for if you want to spot a liar. That's because most of our actions are unconscious, so there's a high chance that their body language will give them up.
Number five: Stalling or avoiding answering the question. Liars might stall for time or try to avoid answering the question altogether. This is because they need time to come up with a lie or to try to avoid being caught in one. Smart liars usually take their time before they answer certain questions, which could make things difficult. While stalling is not enough proof to confirm that someone is lying, they might just be thinking about it. It could be a sign that what they're thinking about is relevant, but avoiding answering the question, on the other hand, is a big red flag and a sign of discomfort.
Number six: Liars are overly defensive or aggressive. Deceitful people can become overly defensive or aggressive in order to distract from the truth. This is because they feel threatened by the possibility of being caught in a lie and may try to deflect attention away from themselves. When a person is honest, they don't feel the need to raise their voice or be defensive in any way because they don't feel threatened. The pressure they feel is an important sign that they're hiding something. So, if you're able to trigger their emotion, you might be able to extract that something from them. Just make sure you're safe when doing so; there's a high chance they could lose it and even get physical if they can't deceive you with words anymore. A cornered animal is the most dangerous.
Number seven: Liars tend to be too specific or too vague. Liars might be overly specific in their lies in order to sound more convincing, or they could be too vague to avoid getting caught in a lie. Depending on the context, a dishonest person will resort to all kinds of manipulative tactics in order to divert you from the truth. It's your job to smell the [ __ ]. If you've watched enough JCS crime psychology videos, you already know this is a common pattern among criminals. Detectives and criminal investigators know this, and they've refined the art of asking the right questions in order to prevent the subject from getting away with their lies. So consider this the next time you ask someone a question. If the answer seems incomplete or too detailed, well, you might have just been lied to.
Number eight: Are they changing the subject? If you're asking someone a direct and clear question and they're avoiding the answer or changing the subject, derailing you from the topic at hand, well, be aware of this; they're doing it on purpose to deceive you. If this happens, you need to stop them and repeat the question in order to make sure you get the answer you need. It's at this point that they're going to deploy the lie. Being left with no other option, people will do anything they can to avoid having a difficult conversation or to admit that they've done something wrong. So, if they're changing the subject, it's almost certain they're trying to hide something.
Let them talk for a while to fool them into thinking that you fell for their trap, and when you're ready, politely get them back on track and reiterate your question. You'll find out soon enough if they were lying or not.
Number nine: Do they use filler words or phrases? People use filler words and phrases when they feel stuck and don't know what to say. Now, this doesn't always mean they're lying, but liars do often use filler words like "um" or "ah" to stall for time in order to come up with a relevant answer. Think about it; we've all done it in school or college when the teacher asked us a difficult question. If what you're asking them is clear, direct, and easy, they would have no reason to stall for that time unless, of course, they're trying to build up a lie in their head. Keep in mind that it all depends on the context, so act accordingly.
Number ten: Liars try to fake their emotions. Liars may try to use fake emotions like crying or laughing to distract from the lie. This is because they're trying to manipulate the listener's emotions and create a sense of empathy or sympathy in order to mislead them. They might also try to fake a state of confidence or even give the impression that they are cooperative and relaxed in order to deceive the other person. Be aware of this, Alexa, as natural-born liars are masters when it comes to faking their emotions. In these situations, it's important to remain rational and objective; don't fall for their cheap schemes.
Number eleven: Liars always have an excuse. Creating excuses for certain actions instead of assuming responsibility is a sign of a weak person, and the weaker someone is, the higher the chances they are going to lie to you. What's funny is that even after being caught lying, they'll also create an excuse for the reason they lied to you, and that excuse, well, it can turn out to be a lie as well. You can see why this is a big red flag, right? It is simply childish behavior.
Number twelve: Being vague about time or details. As we mentioned earlier, people who are lying might try to be vague or evasive when answering questions. They may not provide specific details or could even give you incomplete information in order to avoid getting exposed. People who are telling the truth just tend to provide more specific and accurate details about the events in question. Liars, on the other hand, will avoid giving specific time frames or details regarding their activity. What's important to mention here is that people might forget what they did a long time ago, so this rule only really applies when we're talking about shorter time frames in more recent history.
Number thirteen: Liars reference themselves less. Liars reference themselves less when making deceptive statements. They tend to talk more about others, often using the third person to distance and disassociate themselves from their lie. Pay attention to this during conversations because it can provide some clues into what this person may be trying to hide from you. Some of them may also include other people's names in their narratives in order to make their story sound more credible. It's a dirty tactic and a risky one, but it can fool many people.
Number fourteen: Liars have multiple personalities. If there is one thing that all liars have in common, it's the fact they have multiple personalities depending on the context they're in. Deceitful people will put on different masks in order to play the victim or pretend to be trustworthy individuals. But the more time you spend with them, the more you'll find out who they truly are and their true colors. Humans lie because they want to distance themselves from who they are and associate with who they want to be. This is precisely why people with multiple personalities tend to lie more often than others. It's a vicious cycle from which they can't escape unless they're confronted with the facts and, in some cases, go to therapy to figure out why they're lying so much in the first place.
Number fifteen: Look for psychopathic tendencies. Psychopathy is characterized by diagnostic features such as superficial charm, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, manipulative behavior, and poor self-control, among other traits. Considering this fact, it becomes obvious why people who lie often tend to have psychopathic tendencies. Looking out for these tendencies can spare you a lot of time and headache because you can see through their [ __ ] right away. So, if you know a person to share some of these traits, well, we've got some bad news for your friend; they might have lied to you on multiple occasions. So, don't let it happen again.
And that's a wrap for today, Alexa! Do you agree with this list? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments below, and while you're at it, why not share what is your most efficient way of finding out if someone is lying to you? We're so curious to know! If you found the information in this video valuable, don't forget to tip us with a like for the YouTube algorithm. As always, thanks for watching, and if you're hungry for more knowledge, make sure to check out this video next.