Lying is one of the basic part of the human philosophy.
We lie to our families, our loved ones, our friends, our teachers, and to
random people as well. Most of the time, human beings lie to get some benefit
and some time we lie without any reason. It has created a trust issue. Often,
we no longer even think once before lying. Politicians lie when they make false
promises to people. Insurance firms lie when they sell you policies that would
rarely actually help you in times of need just to scrape more money off you. Salesman
lies about the benefits of the products they sell. Ask yourself this: What is
your reply when you’re late for a meeting
But, how can you judge if a person is lying or being
honest? Here are a few tips what will help you in deciding:
1. Changes in breathing pattern
Often, when someone is lying, their breathing pattern changes
and becomes heavier than normal, because when a person is lying, his blood flow
and along with that, his heart rate changes. This causes him to feel
breathless. The body experiences these changes because the mind feels tense and
nervous. How breathless they feel exactly, varies from situation to situation
and person to person.
2. Repeating words or lines
Whenever a person is lying, he usually tends to repeat
the words, phrases or sentences or phrases over and over again. This, as said
by experts on this matter, happens because the person who is lying is trying to
convince you and at the same time himself of the thing he is saying. In words, he
is trying to validate that lie in his mind. The repetition occurs because the
person is trying to buy time in order to gather his thought as well, often;
people cook up lies on the spot and then just go along with the flow.
3. Giving excessive information
People, when lie, often tend to provide the listener
or listeners with excessive information related or sometimes even un-related to
the matter and give details which are generally not required in that situation.
Experts believe, this happens because the person who is lying thinks that their
excessive talking and apparent openness in the matter will make people believe them.
4. Increase in hand gestures
Pointing at things and other hand gestures could also suggest that the person in lying. If during a conversation, a person suddenly starts to move his hands more than the usual and start making hand gestures; It could be a warning sign that he is probably lying. This happens because the person who is lying tries to distract your undivided attention from what he is saying. If you’re distracted, there is a higher chance that you may accept what he is saying while being less hesitant that you would have had the person been talking without the hand movements.
5. Difficulty in speaking
It is a common observation that people often have
difficulty in speaking when they lie. Experts say in this matter, “This occurs
because the automatic nervous system decreases salivary flow during times of
stress, which of course dries out the mucous membranes of the mouth.” Some
people also start biting their lip, so that’s also a sign to look out for.
6. Language becomes impersonal
People, while lying, tend to avoid using personal pronouns like ‘I’, ’me’ and ‘mine’. Moreover they avoid using people’s names and instead tend to use ‘him’ or ‘her’. This is their way of distancing themselves from the lie. In many cases, they also try and try to cut down the conversation by trying to change the topic at every chance they get. They also start asking questions in return in order to avoid getting asked questions about their lie.
7. Reduced blinking and breaking eye contact
It is commonly known that people tend to not make eye
contact and look elsewhere when they lie. It takes a really confident person to
look in someone eyes and lie to them. Blinking patterns can also be suggestive
of a person’s lying. People, when they lie, sometimes have a tendency to reduce
their blinking and stare while they lie. This happens because the mind
subconsciously attempts to control and manipulate the person it is lying to. In
some cases, people also start blinking rapidly when they are lying. So that
could be a sign to look out for as well.
Now the big question: How bad a thing is lying? It is
common belief that a lie which results in being beneficial for someone without
harming anyone isn’t a lie after all. It’s widely accepted socially as well.
