FBI Special Agent Says People Who Are Lying Do 9 Subtle Things With Their Body
How someone's body language gives them away as a liar.
Jeremy Budiman | Unsplash If you want to know how to spot a liar, there are subtle signs you can look for in their actions and behaviors. Because most people don't know exactly what to look for, they often miss nonverbal cues that might indicate someone is trying to deceive them.
Although body language cannot be consistently relied upon to determine whether a person is lying, it can offer some clues. Here are nine signs someone is lying to you, based on the potential liar's body language.
People who are lying do these subtle things with their bodies, according to FBI special agent:
1. Throat clearing
It's our fight-or-flight stress response that causes the need for throat clearing in liars, as the moisture usually present in the throat reroutes to the skin in the form of sweat.
2. Hard swallowing
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Similarly, the lack of moisture in the liar’s throat due to the fight-or-flight response causes hard swallows, often referred to as the "Adam's apple jump."
While increased swallowing or dry mouth can sometimes be associated with lying, it's not a definitive sign and should be considered alongside other nonverbal cues. Studies on non-verbal cues associated with lying have identified various behaviors, including gaze avoidance, fidgeting, and restless movements.
3. Jaw manipulation
Some liars open their mouths and slide their jaws back and forth. The back-and-forth movement of the jaw stimulates the salivary glands in the back of the throat. This movement is another attempt to moisten the throat, which is dry due to the fight-or-flight response.
4. Eye pointing
Our eyes point to where our body wants to go. Liars often look toward the nearest exit, telegraphing their desire to physically and psychologically escape the anxiety caused by their lying. It's worth noting that people who look at their watches telegraph the same message, signaling a desire to cut the conversation short.
While the idea that eye movements like shifty eyes or looking up and to the right indicate lying is a common belief, psychological research doesn't strongly support this notion. Instead, studies suggest that increased blinking, erratic eye movements, or prolonged stares might suggest discomfort or anxiety, which could be associated with lying, but are not foolproof indicators.
5. Feet pointing
Liars will also often point their feet toward the door, signaling their desire to physically and psychologically escape an uncomfortable situation.
While some believe that feet pointing away from someone or towards an exit can indicate a desire to escape or disinterest, no intense psychological research can support this as a reliable sign of lying. Research by The Smithsonian Magazine explained that to assess someone's potential deception, instead of relying solely on foot pointing, consider a broader range of nonverbal cues, such as fidgeting, eye contact, and overall body language.
6. Lack of emphatic gestures
Liars typically experience difficulty using emphatic gestures, such as finger pointing, light hand tapping on a table, or forward head movements. Denials combined with emphatic gestures usually indicate truthfulness.
7. Backward head movement
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Liars will tend to move their heads slightly backward when they lie. This subtle gesture is an attempt to distance themselves from the source of their anxiety. People tend to lean toward the people and things they like and distance themselves from people and things they dislike.
8. Leaning backward
Liars often sway their entire bodies slightly backward to distance themselves from their targets. The people we're lying to cause us anxiety because we're afraid of being caught by them, so we unconsciously move back to avoid them.
While some research suggests that backward leaning might be associated with lying, it's not a definitive or universal sign and should be considered alongside other cues. Liars may subtly lean back to create distance from the source of their anxiety or discomfort.
9. Guarding the suprasternal notch
The suprasternal notch is the indentation at the base of the neck. It's one of the most vulnerable parts of the body because any infiltration of it can interfere with normal breathing.
When liars feel threatened, they sometimes cover their suprasternal notch to psychologically protect themselves against the threat of discovery. Women who are lying while wearing necklaces may grab, tug, or pull at their necklaces as a means to protect their suprasternal notch.
Subtle nonverbal cues that indicate deception can provide additional support to determine if a person is lying to you, but remember: no one particular nonverbal cue determines veracity. Nonverbal cues are more reliable indicators when they occur in clusters and clusters of clusters.
The best way to determine if someone is telling you the truth is by comparing what a person says to objective facts. Absent such facts, detecting deception will always remain a difficult task:
Honest people often say and do things that make themselves look dishonest, and liars often say and do things that make themselves appear truthful. In the end, a preponderance of evidence determines truth from deception.
John R. "Jack" Schafer, Ph.D., is a former FBI Special Agent specializing in behavior analysis and recruiting spies, and the author of "The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over."