Recognizing lies through nonverbal communication - Cseh Szabina

Outline

Thesis: There are behavioral clues to deceit we can observe that are evident in face, body, and voice.

I.                   The face

1.      “The wise monkeys”

2.      Looking aside

3.      Deceitful smiles

II.                The body

1.      Fidgeting near the neck

2.      Folded arms

3.      Crossed legs

4.      Pointing our toes

III.             The voice

1.      Swallow voice and our lips

2.      Higher pitch and lower tone

3.      The speed of speech

Conclusion: Lies can be noticed through nonverbal clues, but these clues do not always hide deceit.

Recognizing lies through nonverbal communication

Lying is part of human behavior, although not one that is acceptable. It is something that people deliberately choose to do to mislead others or to get something that through other means cannot – or hardly can – be reached (Ekman 163). However, deceiving others can be recognized if one observes the telling clues that cannot always be manipulated by the liar - the nonverbal communicational clues. These are gestures that are often automatic, so people can rely on them more than anything else (Pease and Pease 137). People who lie to others are trying to deceive them by manipulating their bodies so the victims will believe what they are saying, but as there are several telling clues, they often forget to manipulate one, and to a watchful eye it can throw off the whole charade (Pease 18). In the following paragraphs, the reader may get to know about a few behavioral clues to deceit that are evident in face, body and voice.

First of all, the face can be telling, if one is looking closely. Most may know the three wise monkeys:  "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", and in this case, even their forgotten sibling, “smell no evil”. People – especially shocked ones or children – tend to touch parts of their face in some way when they are lying as if they could block the lie from surfacing (Pease 71–72). They rub their eyes to block anything untasteful, pull their ears in order to not hear the lie, cover the mouth to block what is not true, and scratch their nose so the chemicals they release from the rising blood pressure from lying will not tickle it. If people tell an especially big lie, they may even look aside – usually to the left – so that they can imagine the scenario they fabricate out of thin air. It should be noted though that introverted people tend to avoid eye contract more, while the extroverted ones may seek more of it that normal (Pease and Pease 138–141). Smiles can be deceitful, too: while the corners of people’s lips may lift up, the muscle around their eyes fails to scrunch up, so it means the enjoyment they are trying to show is not true (Ekman 170). Also, tight–lipped smiles can mean secrets may be hidden from the talking partner (Pease and Pease 71).

Secondly, bodies also can tell much about thoughts. As previously mentioned, people tend to touch their face while they are deceitful, but they may also pull their collars as the high blood pressure – as a byproduct of lying and being nervous because of it – literally makes them sweat and itch, so liars may also scratch their skin near the neck and collarbones (Pease and Pease 142). Deceitful, ‘welcoming’ smiles can also be unmasked by watching others’ arms: if they are folded, it shows their owners may be feeling uncomfortable and are using them as some sort of defense, like they can alienate themselves from their talking partners, in fact, it can also mean they foster hostile feelings towards the latter (Pease 93). Crossing the legs can be also used as defense, but if they shuffle their feet, it may mean the lying person feels uncomfortable and wants to walk away (Pease 105–109). Pointing the toe towards someone – or moving the whole body in that direction – can show who or what people are really concentrating on, and whether they want to be part of a conversation or not (Pease and Pease 191–195).

Thirdly, our words, the speech we make can be easily manipulated. However, one have to listen to the manner of speech. Lying causes stress, and that often leaves the mouth dry, so speech may become difficult during this situation, hence the swallowing of the voice, or even the biting of the lip or licking. If others are speaking in a higher pitch or a lower tone, it may indicate that one might have encountered a lie. Liars have higher than normal pitch while deceiving because they are fearful of being caught (Ekman 170). The speed of the speech could also be telling: while improvised lies come out at a faster speed, if one had time and the story is well memorized, it can be told in a measured way as if they are reading it.

In conclusion, there are a few nonverbal clues that can expose a liar. Of course, those who have practice in being deceitful can watch over their bodies – not just their words – to not let anyone know of the hidden truths, but it is never a bad thing to know what to look for when a situation or a conversation seems to be off in one’s eyes. Mind you, these clues may mean other things besides lying, so it is unwise to let paranoia win one over.

Works Cited

Ekman, Paul. “Lying and Nonverbal Behaviour: Theoretical Issues and New Findings”. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, vol. 12, no. 3, Sep. 1988, pp. 163–175.

Pease, Allan, and Pease, Barbara. The Definitive Book of Body Language. Translated by Nemes, Anna. London: Orion Books Ltd., 2004. Print.

Pease, Allan. Body Language: How to Read Others’ Thoughts by Their Gestures. Translated by Walkóné Békés, Ágnes. London: Sheldon Press, 1988. Print.