Hi there! I’m Linda and I’m an arty type of gal with no ‘real’ job. Basically I have a lot of time on my hands to ponder life’s little complexities. Like have you ever wondered how to use a compass or how to change a car tyre? My motivation in writing theses articles is to help answer some of those tricky questions you might come across in life. Now if only I could figure out how to win lotto…
Have you ever lied to someone? If you answered ‘no’, either you’re a saint or a compulsive liar. Everyone lies sometime in their life – whether it’s to protect peoples feelings (“no, your butt does not look big in that.”) or to protect ourselves (“I did not have sexual relations with that woman.")
Lies are so widespread in society that most people can’t tell when they’re being lied to. If your not sure if someone’s telling you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then I’ll tell you how to spot a liar.
How to spot a liar
To be honest…the truth is there is no foolproof way to spot a liar; even lie detectors aren’t 100% accurate. Humans are subtle creatures, when we lie we don’t do it in an obvious way (like Pinocchio). However there are a few tell-tail signs that will help you to spot a liar…
- Shifty Eyes. A liar may not look you straight in the eye. They do this because they’re trying to hide their real emotions or hide their guilt.
- Changing Pupils. A liar’s pupils will change in size. This happens because when we’re under stress (e.g. telling a lie), adrenaline is released causing the pupils to dilate. But be careful: enlarged pupils can also indicate attraction!
- Speech Pattern Changes. Liars may mispronounce words, mumble and take longer pauses between a question and a response than honest people. This happens because the liar is not sure where they’re going with the lie or maybe is having trouble following through with it.
- Fidgeting. Nose scratching, fake coughs and playing with jewellery could all be the signs of stress and discomfort of a liar.
- Fake Smile. When we flash a genuine smile its not just our lips that move, it’s also the orbicularis oculi, the muscle around the eye that gives us ‘crow's-feet’. A liars fake smile can’t reproduce this action. So ‘crow’s feet’ may not be such a bad thing –they’re actually a sign of honesty!
Signs may change from one individual liar to the next, so sometimes they can be misinterpreted. But if a person is showing more than one of these signs, chances are you have spotted a liar - cheating boyfriends beware!
Hi there! I’m Linda and I’m an arty type of gal with no ‘real’ job. Basically I have a lot of time on my hands to ponder life’s little complexities. Like have you ever wondered how to use a compass or how to change a car tyre? My motivation in writing theses articles is to help answer some of those tricky questions you might come across in life. Now if only I could figure out how to win lotto…