How to Know Lie Indicators

Trust is the cornerstone of any type of relationship and lying is a reason that trust is compromised. There are non-verbal lie indicators that are commonly seen when a person is not telling the truth. These lie indicators show fear, anxiety and a strong desire to conceal the lie. The more conscientious the liar, the more these indicators will be visible. Trust the individual in a business, friendship or intimate relationship and know lie indicators to avoid liars.

Instructions

Fear Indicators

• 1

  Look directly at the person you feel is lying to you. A person who is telling a lie and is afraid of doing so may experience one or more fear lying indicators. Palms or face will begin to sweat, blush or turn pale. The person may trip over his words, have a dry throat or mouth and clear his throat or begin coughing.

• 2

  Pay attention to the potential liar's physical attributes. Liars who fear telling a lie may begin to breathe unevenly and take on a stiff body posture. Their eyes begin darting, looking away from who they are lying to or beginning to blink excessively.

• 3

  Look for a lie indicator that tries to take away the attention of the person being lied to. This may be changing the subject quickly or fiddling with something.

Camouflage Indicators

• 4

  Watch for concealment indicators when a liar is telling the lie. The liar is mentally planning how to camouflage the lie.

• 5

  Look at the individual's face. If it is lifeless, stiff, or expressionless when talking he may be saying something and thinking about how to lie at the same time.

• 6

  Scrutinize the person's mouth. Determine if the smile is fake, out of place with what is being said or comes and goes suddenly. Continued licking of the lips or the inside of the mouth is another indicator that the individual is uncomfortable with what she is saying and is thinking about how to camouflage the lie.

Anxiety Indicators

• 7

  Study the individual for signs of nervousness. These indicators can demonstrate uncharacteristic qualities of the individual that appear when not telling the truth. According to the American Psychological Association, "detecting deception is an inexact science, but note an association between lying and increased pupil size, an indicator of tension and concentration. Second, they find that people listening to liars think they seem more nervous than truth-tellers, perhaps because their voices are pitched higher. And liars are more likely than truth-tellers to press their lips together."

• 8

  Examine how they use their hands. Signs of anxiety include wringing or clenching of the hands and tapping of the fingers.

• 9

  Listen for nervous or unnecessary laughter and tremor or extremes in volume as the person talks.