Saturday, December 1, 2007

Spot A Liar

SPOT A LIAR

Every one lies - at least every once in a while. Family members and friends are no exception and sadly, even the cute sales girl at the corner shop. Lies are told everyday by everyone and every one seems to have their reasons for lying. Lies whether they are white lies or big deceptions are both lies. It might be a safe option to lie to someone but to be lied to? That is something we all don't want. When a sales man dupes us into buying a product that doesn't deliver as stated, we lose our money's worth and when lied to by someone we consider to be close, we lose our trust in that person.

It's a liar's world out there and is certainly not a matter to take lying down! Scientists have yet to invent a portable and affordable lie detector so it's up to us to watch out for ourselves. When people lie, they tend to react in some ways. If you are able to read these signals, you might just be able to save yourself from being deceived.

It helps if you know about the person. If a person has a habit or history of lying then most likely he is lying to you as you speak to him. Some people may be habitual fidgeters. They can't help but keep fidgeting. However, if a non fidgeter keeps fidgeting, like cracking or rubbing his hands, it is because he's uncomfortable. What is the reason for his being uncomfortable? It could be that he's lying. Fidgety or rigid people usually have the hardest time at telling lies, but some people try to remain calm to trick you

Another way to spot when someone is lying to you is through eye contact. Professional individuals might look you directly in the eye as you speak but those close to you - your family, friends and co workers usually divert their sight to other things like your clothes, hair or shoes but seldom directly into your eyes. If they're lying, they'll meet your gaze and keep it focused on yours. A liar will keep your eyes engaged to earn your trust and in hopes that he doesn't get caught.

Not all people have such obvious tells, but they can be found out too. There are three main things to remember when you suspect a person is lying to you. First of all, listen to what they're telling you, if anything doesn't add up, or make sense, point it out, don't just let them keep making up a story to tell you. Secondly, watch their eyes and body language.

If you think someone is lying, confront him. If the accused person is guilty he'll get defensive. A defensive body posture would be crossed arms and legs, hands on hips, avoid eye contact and a tightly clenched jaw. An innocent person will often go on the offensive whereas a defensive person would want to get out of the situation altogether. A liar may feel uncomfortable facing his accuser and may turn his head or body away and unconsciously place objects (book, coffee cup, etc) between themselves and you to form a sort of barrier.

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