Life
A little white lie or stretch of the truth can happen from time to time, whether intentional or accidental. "How much do you like my blouse?" "Love it," as an example, is something relatively consequence-free and your intentions are usually good. Although most people aren't setting out to intentionally mislead or blatantly lie to everyone they come in contact with, chances are you'll be lied to at one point or another. It's often fairly simple to deduce obvious signs of lying, such as outlandish stories that frequently change, but there can also be subtle signs someone is lying to you.
Lying is much more common than anyone would probably like to admit. In fact, a University of Massachusetts Amherst researcher conducted a study on lying and concluded that 60 percent of people lied at least once in a 10 minute conversation, averaging two to three lies in total. Unfortunately, the real world isn't a fairy tale where liars' noses grow. That's why you have to look out for the signs that someone is lying to you.
Of course, that becomes tough too if it leads to an over analysis. After all, just because you fidget or swallow hard during a conversation doesn't mean you're not telling the truth. But if you have a strong sense that someone if lying, keep an eye out for these eight signs that someone is skipping over the truth.
1
They're Trying Too Hard
According to CNBC, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss wrote in his book, "Never Split The Difference", that being overly wordy of unnecessarily complex may be a sign of lying. If you're hearing all about the inner-workings of your best friend's brother's girlfriend's job, well, that may be a cover for something else.
2
They Clear Their Throat
Throat-clearing is a stress response related to "fight or flight", according to Psychology Today. Although clearing their throat isn't a tell-tale sign of lying, it could indicate that someone is being less than truthful.
3
They're Glancing Toward The Door
Former federal law enforcement investigator Janine Driver told Oprah that if the person you're talking to is looking at or turning their body toward the door, it could mean they're lying. If they look like they want to run, they probably do.
4
They Answer Your Question With Another Question
Answering one question with another is a solid stalling tactic, but veteran San Diego law enforcement officer Steve Albrecht told Thrillist that this strategy could also indicate that the person you're talking to is not telling the truth.
5
They're Ready For Anything
If the answers to questions sound rehearsed, or the person has an immediate answer for anything and everything, they might be lying, Julia Chung, assistant principal in Westchester County, New York told Real Simple.
6
They Repeat Specific Words
According to Business Insider, behavioral analyst and body language expert Dr. Lillian Glass wrote in her book, "The Body Language of Liars," that people who are lying often repeat words or phrases. Essentially, the repetition is a last-ditch effort to try to make the lie stick and to convince themselves they believe it.
7
They're Blinking A Lot - Or Not At All
Some liars blink a lot when they lie and some don't blink much at all, according to Glass and Business Insider. In both cases, it's often to compensate for the lie — liars who are actively lying use strategies to make things seem as normal and unremarkable as possible.
8
They Leave Themselves Out
Jeffrey Hancock, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University, told Real Simple that in his research in online lying, he's found that people who leave out the word "I" or "me" are sometimes lying. They're trying to distance themselves from the lie they're telling by keeping identity out of it.
