You can instantly tell someone is a liar if they do these 7 weird things with their body

You might think that liars look nervous, but some of the major signs that someone’s lying come from the weird things they’re doing with their body.

Everything goes quiet

Liars stop moving. You ask them a simple question, and then they quit tapping a cup or shifting around. It’s kind of natural. You may expect them to look messy and anxious, but over-controlling your body is a sign, too.

It’s because they’re concentrating so hard on ‘acting normal.’ It makes them stop looking normal altogether. They might only stop for a second, sure, yet it’s a little unsettling how stiff it actually looks.

Their hand

Watch what happens after they answer. You might see them touch their face once they’ve answered, almost like they remembered they had something to do. They might touch their nose. They might brush their lips.

It’s the timing that matters. They’ll touch their face after sharing a lie or after being in an uncomfortable situation. Researchers say it’s a way for liars to calm themselves down because they’re stressed. 

Something happens before the words do

That’s not all for the face. Some liars press their lips together tightly before sharing some untruths. It’s easy to miss. But pay attention. It’s kind of like they’re trying to hold back their words while they’re deciding what to say.

Some liars suck their lips inwards before talking. They’re not sure what to say. You’ll probably notice them doing it when you ask a direct question. You know, when the answer should’ve come easily.

The shrug barely happens

A really small shoulder raise is weirder than a full shrug. A person lies. But their shoulder goes up a little anyway, and that’s because their body’s reacting. The rest of them hasn’t caught up to it yet.

Their brain’s sending two messages at once, confidence with the words and hesitation with their body. The mismatch looks a little strange. However, you’ll be able to see their discomfort pretty much straight away.

Their body tries to leave

They stay in front of you. Everything seems fine. But it seems like they’re halfway gone, and that’s because only their head’s facing towards you. Their body’s drifting elsewhere. They know that, socially, they’re supposed to stay engaged, yet their body didn’t get the message.

Their torso’s facing the exit. Their foot’s pointing toward the hallway. Liars do it because your body usually reacts to pressure a lot quicker than your mouth does. They want out of it, mentally. Their body’s ready for them to do that.

Their feet start having their own conversation

You’re probably paying a lot of attention to their face. You might not even notice their feet. Someone can look calm from the waist up, sure, but their feet are going crazy under the table. Their heels are bouncing.

Their feet are tapping. Maybe their ankles are wrapping around the chair legs. Liars can control their expressions relatively easily. The lower body’s harder to control, so their feet start panicking.

Their hand moves to a specific spot

Stressed people touch their neck. A lot. Not their arm or elbow, but the neck, and they’ll start rubbing the side of the throat quite a bit. They might also press their fingers into their collarbone. Some liars tug their collars.

It’s because your blood flow increases when you’re stressed, and it also increases the tension near your neck. People reach there when they feel the pressure building. It’s instinctive. They’re trying to calm down. But, of course, without announcing that something’s wrong.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.