How to Spot a Liar

As a mom, it becomes second nature to spot a non-truth when I see one. My husband and I have become pros when it comes to figuring out which of our children is stretching the truth in certain situations. However, some people aren’t looking at a four-year-old to figure out who knocked over the cat food dish. Some people are looking at their coworkers, their boss, their spouse, their significant other, and their friends to figure out who isn’t telling them the truth. If you really want to know, there are a few ways you can spot a liar in an instant.

Ask How a Person Feels About it

If something happens and you confront someone about doing it, ask them how they feel about what was done. The innocent person will likely be angry and not afraid to show it. The guilty person will show a range of emotions and try to justify their behavior while still denying it.

Look for Symmetry

When a person means what they are saying, their entire body mirrors their words. This means they smile fully, frown fully, or shrug fully. When they are lying, they typically one do each of these things with one side of their body.

Check Out the Eyes

When a person is keeping something from you and they are smiling, you can tell if they mean it. Look at the corners of their eyes to see if they have crow’s feet at the corners. This is a great way to tell if a person is genuinely smiling or if they are masking their real feelings about the topic at hand.

Watch for Signs of Thinking Hard

When a liar is in the midst of a lie they typically speak slowly and do not make many hand gestures. This is because they have focused the bulk of their energy on the lie they are telling. They are thinking too hard to actually make an effort to look natural.