Spotting lies is an important element in everyday life and at work. Organizational psychologists dealing with recruitment pay attention to what applicants say and how they behave to spot signs of lying.
To spot lies, you have to pay attention to body language. It is easier to control your words than your body. When somebody lies, their body sends out contradictory signals and there is a lack of congruency between their body and facial signals. You can observe an increase in facial muscular twitching, dilation and contraction of pupils, sweating, flushed cheeks, eye-blinking rate, avoiding eye contact, swallowing, and a decrease in smiling.
The most common lying gestures involve automatic touching or covering of the eyes, ears and mouth with a person’s hands. Why? Because when we see, speak, and hear lies, our subconscious doesn’t want to see, hear, or speak.
Some Common Lying Gestures
The mouth cover: a person covers their mouth with their hands, fingers, or fist. Or they pretend to cough as an excuse to cover their mouth. The brain subconsciously tries to suppress the deceitful words that are being said. When a person puts his fingers into his mouth, it means he feels that he is under pressure. Moreover, the fingers-in-mouth gesture also expresses the need for reassurance.
The nose touch: when a person lies they usually touch or rub their nose more frequently than usual. It can also consist of quick rubs below the nose. Intentional lies increase the blood pressure in the nose, which swells the nose and causes its nerve endings to tingle.
The eye rub: this is a subconscious attempt of the brain not to see the person who is being lied to. This gesture can be used in combination with others, such as the speaker avoiding the listener’s gaze and looking away, or clenching his teeth with a fake smile.
The ear grab: putting the hand around or over the ear, or pulling the ear lobe is an automatic attempt to stop what is being heard. There are also other variations of this gesture, for example, rubbing the back of the ear or putting a finger inside the ear. The ear grab can also be a signal that a person has heard enough and wants to speak. More generally, the ear grab, along with the nose touch, is a clue that a person is experiencing anxiety.
The neck scratch: scratching along the side of the neck below the earlobe is usually a signal of doubt and uncertainty.
The collar pull: pulling the collar away from the neck in an attempt to let the cool air circulate. Lies cause a tingling sensation in the neck, so rubbing or scratching is a frequent reaction. Some people pull their collar when they suspect they have been caught lying. This gesture also occurs when someone feels frustrated or angry.
In summary, spotting lies requires paying attention to the body language of the person you are speaking with. Observe if there are incongruities between the speaker’s body and facial gestures, or an increase in the touching and rubbing of their eyes, ears, and mouth.
Dr. Andrea Miriello
Business Psychologist
Consultant, Business Coach, and Trainer