Liar! Liar! How Body Language Exposes Lying
We all just fell really peeved when we find out later that someone told a bold face lie to our face and we did not even suspect a thing or see it coming. Now you know we all tell those little small harmless “white lies” of saying we don’t feel well or are tired when we do not want to go someplace or “yes!, I love your new dress!”
In a previous article I wrote on empaths and their ability to sense when something is off when being lied to by the energy they are receiving from the person. But not everyone has that empathic ability to use or have it and not aware of it. So how do you get smarter about not getting lied to and recognizing it? Body language! Here are some obvious body qualities to look for. At least to make you question if you are not being told the truth. These helpful insights come from a combined contribution of police detectives and behavioral analysts. The tips may not keep you from ever getting lied to again but at least it will make you think twice about information being given to you as the truth. In our political climate, these might be good tools to have.
Uncomfortable Staring: One huge clue that someone may be feeding you a line is if they stare at you intensely, not intently but the kind of look that makes you want more personal space. This special breed of liar feels that maintaining eye contact is a way to “control and manipulate” others. A good example of this is the infamous Ponzi scheme maker Bernie Madoff, who always made a point of making long eye contact with his victims while he was ripping them off
Where They Look: Amazingly, in addition to that uncomfortable staring, the direction somebody looks when being asked a question might tell you if they’re lying or not. It’s why we so value people who can look you in the eye when telling you what we presume to be the truth. Those who are lying will shifts eyes away to the direction of their predominant hand or look down and then to the right or left.
Covering Their Mouth And/Or Face: When adults cover their mouths, it means they’re not “revealing everything” and are literally “closing off communication.” In other words, they’re trying to hide something by hiding their mouths.
Strange Head Movements: When a person shakes his or her head yes or no at the same time as when he or she speaks, you can pretty much rely on what that person says. However, if the shake comes after, you might just have found yourself a liar. An even bigger tell—liars will sometimes say yes but shake their heads no, and vice versa.
Look At Their Feet: According to Psychology Today, liars tend to point their feet towards the door or closest available exit, when in the midst of spinning a yarn. This signifies a physical and psychological eagerness to make a hasty escape, which is triggered by them lying to your face.
Clearing Their Throat: You may want to pay attention to what sounds they make and when they make them. According to former CIA agents, liars clear their throats before they spout out a big whopper. This happens for a couple of reasons. It’s a nonverbal way of saying, One, “I swear to God …” Two, they feel a need to lie, which causes a physiological reaction in them, like anxiety or mouth and throat dryness.
Too Much Information: Ever ask someone a question and they give you way more info than you asked for? Liars hope “with all their talking and seeming openness, others will believe them.” In other words, by giving you everything except an actual answer, liars hope you’ll forget the question you asked in the first place.
Pauses And Delays In Responding: It isn’t just how much they say, it’s how quickly they say it. For the most part, if somebody’s telling the truth, they’re going to tell it quickly and without hesitation. If they’re hiding something, however, they may take longer to spill a lie, since they’re working overtime to craft it.
They Answer The Same Question Exactly The Same Way: An ex Green Beret interrogator gave this one up. Ask the same question three times, in three different ways. This method isn’t done for the reasons you might think. One would think doing this is to see if they change their answer but if no matter how often you ask the question, no matter how you vary the question’s wording, you get the same repetition and a rehearsed-sounding answer, that’s almost word-for-word as the previous response. That’s a red flag!
They Fuss With How They Look: According to the same CIA source, grooming oneself is a way to deal with the anxiety of lying. Liars adjust ties or shirt collars, brush their hair behind their ears or straighten their skirts.
Standing Still: It’s generally accepted that if somebody starts shifting around, they’re uncomfortable about something. But it turns out the opposite may be true too, if they’re too still or too stiff it may be a sign they are hiding the truth. It is part of the body’s natural mechanism of a “fight or flight” response, and going stiff is the body preparing for a fight, something it wouldn’t need to do if there was nothing to hide.
Psychic Susan Z’s Reading
Well after all that information given by the “experts” on liars, it makes you wonder if you are ever going to be able trust anybody to tell you the truth since almost everyone I know exhibits some of the traits pointed out as being a liar. My empathic suggestion on the above tips is go with your gut instinct. Body language goes both ways and since we are energy, whether you have the gift or not, you FEEL something is off. Be a big adult and pursue it!
Susan Z Rich is an emotional addiction counselor, spiritual intuitive and holistic therapist. She counsels others to see life in a more positive way and teaches personal accountability for life choices. She is also the author of several children’s books and Soul Windows…Secrets From The Divine.