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How to spot a liar: 10 signs someone is lying to you

Photo: Envato

It's no secret that we all fall apart at times. Research even shows that as many as 60% adults tell at least one lie in a 10-minute conversation. Therefore, knowing when someone is telling the truth and when they are not is a very useful skill. The following are 10 signs that show that the interlocutor cannot be trusted.

1. He waves his arms all the time

If you are not sure whether to trust the interlocutor, observe his gestures. If he waves his hands excessively, it shows that he is consciously or subconsciously trying to persuade you in every possible way. Of course, the gestures of some are more expressive than most, so you will know best that it is a lie if you know the person and notice that they wave their hands much more than usual for them.

Does the interlocutor wave his hands more than usual? Photo: Keira Burton / Pexels

2. Says too little or too much

The easiest way to identify a liar is to listen carefully. Experts note that when not telling the truth, most will make one of two mistakes: either they will provide too much detail or they will provide too little detail. If someone describes an event to you in too much detail and includes irrelevant information in the story, this is an alarm sign. Also, watch out if he avoids talking and his answers are short and to the point.

3. His story is changing

One of the tricks is to ask the liar several times about the event you doubt. Do this calmly and without accusation, but pay attention to the details that you heard in the first. If the story has changed, it indicates that something is wrong.

4. It redirects the attention to you

A clear sign that someone is lying is that they get defensive and start accusing you of not trusting them, even when there is no reason for them to talk that way. If someone is telling the truth, they will very rarely act upset and hostile.

A liar will be too quick to put himself on the defensive Photo: Alex Green / Pexels

5. His legs and arms are shaking

Some will not make a fatal mistake with their words, but their body language will betray them. Pay attention to whether the interlocutor's legs or hands are shaking, whether he is acting restless and confused, is constantly shifting and shifting to another position...

6. The left side of the lips moves more than the right

Pay attention to the interlocutor's lips. If you feel like he's forcing a smile on his left side that looks more like a sneer than a genuine expression of happiness, it's time to reconsider the claims he's trying to convey to you. Lip biting is also a sign of nervousness about lying.

7. His answers are slow

If someone needs time to think about a simple question, that's not a good sign Photo: Liza Summer / Pexels

When someone is asked something completely simple, there is no reason that they should take more than 5 seconds to think about it. If the interlocutor needs some time to remember where he was the night before, who he was hanging out with…. this almost certainly means that his words are not sincere.

8. Uses diversionary tactics

Diversion tactics include changing the subject as soon as the conversation turns to the event the person is lying about, using sentences that make no sense and whose sole purpose is to confuse you, and answering a question with another question, such as, "Why would that did?” A liar will also try to convince you that there is no reason for him to lie, that he is always honest with you, etc. These are not usually statements used by someone who is actually telling the truth.

9. Expresses more negative than positive emotions

Research shows that in addition to appearing nervous, liars will also use more words that express negative emotions. It's rare for anyone to be able to bring joy to their face, the authenticity of which you won't doubt, when they tell you a fictional story. Most will present the event as nothing special or worth discussing.

10. He constantly looks around

Many people are too nervous to make sustained eye contact when lying. Instead, their gaze will dance around the room and the floor, unwittingly giving away that their story is not what they claim it to be.

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