Q&A for How to Detect Lies

Listen to your instincts—deep down, you can usually tell whether someone is being genuine.

If you find someone in a lie, let them know. Tell them what you've observed, then share how you feel about that.

Silence makes them feel like their message hasn't been accepted by the person they are talking to.

It depends. Men blink more rapidly when they lie, but women don't. Basically the concepts are the same, but the details may be different.

This is a tough one because some people do give off seemingly suspicious signals out of anxiety, fear, a desire to please or ironically, as a result of being too honest, and many people wrongly assume that they can actually tell when someone is lying. It might help to suggest that the person in question is being unreasonable and has no proof that you're lying other than their willingness to believe it to be so. Perhaps ask them why they're so keen to consider you a liar - that can open up a wider conversation provided you ask nicely and with a real intention to discuss it further. Stay confident and stick to your truths, the truth will always out in the end.

Don't trust the person again and remember that some people will lie after swearing they are telling the truth.

That's awkward. But if it happens, apologize immediately and explain why you thought that way. Then say you will trust them, and coat it over with another "sorry"' and a hug/high five/ smile/something similar to appease them. Be super nice for a while after.

You know it is or you'd not be asking, especially repeating "is it bad"? It's also smart though, you're clearly a reverse engineer kind of person, so whatever works for you. Just be realistic about how being a liar will affect your life. People won't trust you, close relationships will be impossible and you'll be more on your own than if you were honest and open about things.

Either they are both lying, or the person has unusual body language and is telling the truth. Some people are naturally fidgety, especially people with disabilities like ADHD and autism, and may appear to be lying when they are not.

Look for other signs of lying. Some people just have a bad habit of chewing fingernails. If you think your friend is lying, you would have already known if it's just a bad habit or not.

It depends. Some sociopaths have what's called the predatory gaze or stare, in which they blink less and hold their gaze on their prey.

You need to know them on a personal level so you know whether they're good at fake crying or if that's a natural, common response for them under stress. You need to consider all of the possibilities, and if you can, try not to act fazed by their emotions; it could be a sign that they are getting to you. Liars will try anything to get their way, so they might try anything to deceive you and slip up.

Yes, while most people can't control themselves, there are trained people who can. Some people do what actors do: they memorize and become the story. Some can even brainwash themselves, but this is usually done with the help of someone else.

He doesn't need to admit it for it to be true. You know it was him, and it was him whether he admits it or not. You're already sure, his admission won't make you more certain.

It's very possible. Heat rushes to some people's faces when they're being untruthful. But a flushed face can also be a sign of overheating, cold, exercise, or a medical issue.

Your teacher is still a person, so, most likely, he/she has the same indicators as others.

Start actively looking for them and practice your recognition skills in this area - timing is important, the micro expression will occur directly after the event that is being reacted to - i.e. you ask a question or make a statement, the subject will react first with micro expression and then with the words or actions. Begin by paying special attention to one or two areas - perhaps how the eyes and mouth look during the brief expression. Once you get good at noticing the slight differences, your recognition will become almost instant and you can widen the number of things you are paying attention to.

Use emotions to get the truth out. Appeal to their humanity by asking them to tell the truth and make them feel guilty for lying.

These are pretty clear signals that he doesn't want to answer your questions because he doesn't want to lie to you or incriminate himself. I suggest you confront him once more and tell him that his refusal to answer your question is making him look like he has something to hide.

Most liars do act as though they are telling the truth. Follow the tips in this article and follow your gut.

If nothing works, then maybe this time he is not lying. But if you still have doubts, you should know that the truth will always find a way to come out.

Tell that person that you know what really happened, then wait for him to reply. Give a hint and let him explain, then give more hints, and after a while, he will get it and give in.

Yes, that is possible depending on the individual. Everyone acts differently when they lie though.

Yes, laughing could be a nervous habit indicating they are lying or they could be trying to ease the tension or catch you off guard.

That doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's a normal part of facial expression. They might be surprised by something or skeptical of something or playful.

Don't say a word. You did your part by telling the truth. Believing or not believing is the other person's choice.

No, it is different for person to person, that is why there are many different methods of detection in this article. Not everyone does the same thing, and no one will do all of these things, so you just have to pay close attention.

Confront her in person. Tell her that you know she lied and you don't want to be friends with someone who is deceitful. If she apologizes and promises to be truthful in the future, you should continue being friends. If she refuses to do this, you should break off the friendship.

Three plus three is six. That answer is the truth. If I say it's seven, then that is a lie. It remains a lie no matter how often I say it. Same goes for you. The fact that it's the truth or not doesn't depend on whether you stick to it or not.

Stop asking. This is in essence a useless question. She could be lying about lying, lying about telling the truth, telling the truth about lying or telling the truth about telling the truth. There's no reliable information to be gained from the question, so stop asking it. Trust her until you have definite proof.