Most of us can tell when we are being lied to, but sometimes liars have ways of fooling us which can lead to trouble. Here are some telltale signs of a deceptive person.
Touching the throat.
When liars feel threatened, they may try to cover their suprasternal notch. The suprasternal notch is the small hollow located at the base of the throat where the clavicle bones meet. This is a highly vulnerable part of the body and liars will subconsciously conceal this area as a psychological defense mechanism when under the threat of being discovered.
Covering the mouth.
Another telltale sign is the concealing of the mouth while talking. When a person does not want to address an issue or answer a question, they often cover their mouth with their hands. This tends to happen automatically and it means they are not being open.
Jerky Head Movement.
Sudden head movements, or strange head posturing in response to a direct question may indicate deception. The head may be tilted back, forward or cocked to the side just before they respond to a question.
Blinking.
Blinking too much or too little can be an indication that a person is not telling the truth. Too much blinking is likely a symptom of the elevated stress levels experienced when lying. Too little blinking may be due to a deliberate effort to control and suppress the telltale stress symptoms.
Vague Details.
A lack of specificity and a tendency to repeat the same details over and over may reveal lying. A liar may err on the side of caution and avoid devulging too much detail that would force them to think hard in order to keep their false story consistent with known facts.
Too Many Details.
Conversely, when someone seems too forthcoming and provides an abundance of gratuitous details in excess of what they are being asked, they are probably trying to appear open so people will believe them.
Sustained Eye Contact.
When hiding something, a liar may try to maintain eye contact as an attempt to adopt “honest” body language. The forced eye contact will appear odd and unnatural and may resemble a deer caught in headlights.
Heavy Breathing.
Heavy breathing and a shallow voice may occur when someone is telling a lie. This is due to the changes in heart rate caused by nervousness and tension that accompanies lie telling.
Hostility.
A liar may get defensive when they feel their cover is about to be blown. A last ditch effort in their denial is to adopt a hostile indignation while attempting to discredit their inquisitor. They may also exhibit a lot of finger pointing.
Throat Clearing.
Clearing of the throat is natural, but if a person does this or a significant swallow prior to answering a question, they may be preparing to tell an untruth. Swallowing hard may indicate they are experiencing a spike in anxiety which can cause dryness and discomfort in the throat.
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My husband lies to me. I have discovered a few big ones in the past 2 1/2 years. I’m sad because I wouldn’t have married him if he would’ve told me the truth in the beginning. Now I’m stuck. I mean, not totally stuck, but I have to figure things out-if I stay or should I leave. His lies are big lies, I doubt he’ll change that. I don’t like liars. So you see we’re at an impasse.