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HOW TO SPOT A LIAR (cont)
1. Reverse story
2. Answer delay

3. MISSING FEELINGS
In the interrogation literature, there’s a concept called “reality monitoring” –  how we store memories, compared to storing fiction.
◆ When recalling a true memory, we’ll refer to sensory details (how things looked, smelled….), as well as how we felt about a specific event – annoyed, bored, amused, uplifted…..

► On the other hand, when rattling off a made-up version, a liar is more likely to use “cognitive operations,” mental gymnastics that are literal, logical & matter-of-fact, without including emotions or body responses. (Post : “Repressing Es”)

EXP :  Suppose you’re talking about walking home from a movie. If it is a true memory, your may focus on the sound of the bus splashing a puddle or your annoyance at being wet. Truth-tellers tend to include sensory descriptions, liars do not.
If it’s made up, your version will sound more rational —  “It was raining, so I must have had my umbrella.”

4. HOLD your EVIDENCE
If you’re suspicious of someone, direct confrontation is one of the worst ways to get to the truth, as it gives your whole plan away. Don’t start by saying : “I know you did it!”
If you show your cards too soon, all they have to do is say No & you won’t know what’s real.
Also, experienced liars don’t show the usual signs – they don’t look stressed or make obvious mistakes.  With them, the best route is to sit back & wait, letting the liar sabotage themself.

According to the “Journal of Investigative Psychology & Defender Profiling” you should continue asking questions no matter what they say (unless you know you’ll be physically injured by them).
Just assume at first they’re telling the truth.
Eventually – if you keep pushing for more & more info about a situation, they’re going to run out of the prepared story & start contradicting themself.
IF you’re prepared – that’s the perfect time to spring the evidence   you have as proof of their lie.
In an intimate relationship, as soon as you flip the switch, they :
— may make elaborate excuses / justifications/ blame you
— act insulted, try to make you feel guilty for doubting them
— OR get very angry & verbally attack you
— OR laugh, make fun of you & walk away
— OR most often, the partner will just clam up.
RARELY – show signs of stress, stutter, crumbling the cool facade

5. ADD the UNEXPECTED
Whether trying to finagle the truth from a teenager or suspecting a friend of fabricating a story, catching someone in a lie takes some effort & knowhow.
When someone’s telling you a story you suspect is false, interrupt with weird questions as they talk. A good way to spot a liar is to throw them a curve ball in the middle of their story.
Scientific American looked at military interrogation tactics to see what works in everyday life, & found that posing left-field questions can trip up a liar.

Ask for random information  – something they weren’t expecting, & watch their reaction. Specifics are good – the more unrelated to the version they’re telling the better.
Example: If you think someone’s lying about having been to a movie theater, ask what the previews were, if a particular B-list actor was in the film….. (MORE …. )

A 2011 essay in the Journal of Applied Cognitive  Psychology – agrees that unexpected questions forces a liar to improvise, which can throw them off. It means having to make up something they didn’t have planned, so their initial story will fall apart as they make more & more mistakes. Most people caught in a lie will stumble or burble when put on the spot.

WITH FRIENDS
A 2012 study published in the Journal of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society found that social behaviors change when a person is lying. They’re more uptight, even if everyone else is relaxed.
Truth-tellers tend to fall in sync with the people around them, easily making eye contact, laughing & mirroring the body language of their friends or partner.

CAVEAT: Tare care to not repeat a version of Othello’s error – Shakespeare’s tragic hero – who, after inaccurately accusing his wife of infidelity, mistakes her fear for signs that she’s lying —> & kills her!

NEXT : DETECTING LIARS (Part 3)