How to Detect Lies

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Sir Walter Scott put it best: "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" There are many techniques commonly used by police officers and other investigators to detect when someone is lying. As a non-professional, like you and me, knowing a few of these techniques can help us detect when someone lies to us in our own lives. I’d also like preface this information by saying that just because someone exhibits one or more of these signs does not make them a liar. The behaviors I’m about to describe should be compared to a person’s normal behavior whenever possible. With that being said, I am going to discuss with you several ways to detect if a person is lying. I’m going to talk about (1) verbal clues to look for, (2) body language to look for, and (3) what you can do to catch a liar in the act. First, I’m going to talk about some verbal clues that you can look for in a person who you suspect is lying. In some cases, a liar will begin exhibiting signs of defensive behavior or try to make you feel guilty. This is the liar’s attempt to create empathy. You might hear things like, "I would never lie" as the person tries to convince you he or she innocent. Most people caught in the act of lying will flat out deny it and even become angry. Another thing you might notice when someone is lying, is a higher pitch in their voice. Interestingly, liars also will cut out contractions, using "was not" instead of "wasn't" or "did not" rather than "didn't". As lies are formulated, the person needs time to think. Someone who is lying will tend to repeat the question that is asked, to give themselves more time to come up with an answer. For example, if you ask "Who were you with last night?" The other person will repeat back your statement in the form of a question: "Who was I with last night?" A guilty person often times will add unnecessary details to
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