People don’t always speak the truth. Whether it’s to hide something or take what they want, people might lie to you. Lying can be hard to detect if you’re not paying attention. But the truth does appear in small ways. You’ll notice it in their tone of voice, body language or even their responses to you. If you know these signs, you’ll know when something is wrong & how to avoid getting duped. In this list, lets look at how people usually behave when they are lying.
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Avoiding Eye Contact
If someone makes no eye contact when communicating with you, it can be a clue that they are being deceitful. People usually feel uneasy lying and have a hard time staring directly at the person they are misleading. They may move their eyes from time to time, or gaze at random objects, or even keep their gaze low. Not everyone who doesn’t look you in the eye is lying – but avoiding eye contact is a common sign of deceptive people trying to hide their guilt.
Inconsistent Stories
A deceptive person often struggles to keep their story straight. They can forget information they’ve already told you or introduce new information that contradicts what they have already said. That’s because lying demands mental effort all the time, and there’s a tendency to forget the facts. If they tell you a different version every time you ask them, that’s a red flag.
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Excessive Justification
People who lie tend to overexplain themselves. They have to persuade you, so they fill you in with unnecessary information or go into little detail. This is usually a way to distract you from the lie and make it sound more plausible. When someone talks endlessly about something simple, they might be trying to cover something up.
Speaking Too Quickly or Too Slowly
People who are dishonest tend to change their speech patterns. Some may speak fast to get the lie over with and some may speak slowly as they carefully build up their lies. Any sudden changes in a speaker’s speaking style, especially in responding to a question, can be a sign they’re not telling the truth.
Frequent Pauses or Hesitations
People don’t like to answer questions when they are lying. They might have to pause – often – while thinking about what to do. These pauses are generally longer than they would be during other conversations. Anyone who repeatedly stutters or takes time before speaking is probably covering something.
Unusual Body Language
A person’s body language can tell you a great deal about his honesty. Deceptive people may fidget, cross their arms defensively, or look away from you. They may also touch their face, rub their neck, or tap their fingers – all these could signal nervousness or discomfort. Watching out for these bodily signals will help you catch dishonesty.
Defensiveness When Questioned
When questioned about their story, liars tend to get defensive. They might respond with rage, irony or accusations to deflect the attention away from them. Rather than quietly responding to the worry, they attempt to blame you for not believing them. That kind of overreaction is often a defense against further questions.
Overly Polished Responses
A person who is lying may sound rehearsed. Their replies can feel stilted or slick, like they have rehearsed. This can make their words sound unnatural or just too good to be true. True responses are typically a little spontaneous – false ones are not.
Avoiding Direct Answers
Liars often dodge direct questions. They could either change the topic or respond with a general answer or simply deflect the question. This technique prevents them getting caught lying. If you never hear a direct response, someone’s trying to keep it inside, they may be hiding something.
Inconsistent Emotional Responses
A deceptive person’s emotions might not match their words or the situation. For instance, they can smile while talking about something serious or get angry about something petty. This disconnect occurs because lying people can’t fake genuine emotions while keeping their story straight. Watching for such lapses can reveal dishonesty.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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