Look For These 4 Verbal Signs When You Think A Person Is Lying To Your Face

Just this morning, I did a post about poker players wearing obstructions to keep opponents from picking up their tells. This post is about spotting a liar based on what they say and not the non-verbal communication like face ticks and lip bites.

The reasons we lie are bountiful. There are little white lies and huge, massive, insane lies and spotting either isn’t that hard if a person is attune with exactly what to look for while the other person is  possibly spitting lies. LifeHacker points out the four biggest signs a person is fibbing in any situation.

Stories based on lies, or “imagined experiences”, are different from real experiences because we have to put a bit of thought into it. As such, we’ll change the way we speak without even knowing it. Specifically, there are four notable indicators:

  1. Minimal self-references: Liars often use the third-person to distance themselves from the deceptive statements.
  2. Negative language: Liars tend to be more negative because on a subconscious level, they feel guilty about lying.
  3. Simple explanations: Liars typically recount stories or events in simple terms because it’s hard for the brain to come up with a complex lie (at least on the spot).
  4. Convoluted phrasing: Liars use longer, more convoluted sentences with irrelevant details when they could be more straight to the point.

Now go out there and catch someone in a massive lie!

[via LifeHacker]

Chris Illuminati avatar
Chris Illuminati is a 5-time published author and recovering a**hole who writes about running, parenting, and professional wrestling.