How to catch a liar: Special guest distinguished emotion psychologist, Dr. Paul Ekman, the world’s number one lying expert
WITH DR. PAUL EKMAN, DISTINGUISHED PSYCHOLOGIST AND 100TH MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN THE WORLD
Would you like to catch a liar? When big things are at stake—money, freedom, reputation, love—it may be easy to spot a liar if you know what to look for.
Here are the signs:
*Watch the Micro-Expressions: These are very quick facial and body expressions that last ½ second or less. Liars can’t control them so you can determine if they’re lying.
*Develop a Baseline: Observe the person when they’re not lying, and determine the types of facial and body expressions they usually use (wrinkling nose, blinking, etc.).
*Look for Inconsistencies: Now, when they are asked about an important personal issue, see if they express new micro-expressions that they didn’t show before—such as wrinkling their forehead, quick micro-shrugs of shoulder, lower voice (softer and softer), speech hesitation, and excessive swallowing.
*See the Big Picture: Other signs of lying include the liar thinking too much about their answer when they don’t need to (response should be automatic), or if they have emotions that don’t fit what they’re saying (smiling when talking about something sad).
*Consider the Shy or Insecure Person: Also, determine if the person is somewhat shy or insecure. Some of their micro-expressions (swallowing too much) could be due to their shyness, and not due to lying. The key is to determine if they use those micro-expressions consistently in the course of normal conversation.
Truth-telling is one of the essential elements of deep and meaningful relationships and everyday human transactions. Although there is such a thing as a compassionate lie (telling someone who is terminally ill that they can recover), lies can do significant damage to relationships and trust. By telling the truth, we can develop trust and authenticity, as well as the most important ingredient in successful relationships: Loving energy.
For more information, listen to Love University Podcast: “How to Catch A Liar”