Body Language For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 17

Ten Ways to Spot Deception

In This Chapter

Watching facial expressions

Looking for body signals

Listening for voice patterns

‘ O, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive!’ The problem with trusting body language as the sole source of information is that human beings are complex creatures. One gesture cannot and does not reveal an entire story any more than a book’s message can be contained in one word. Context is key and even forensic professionals can be stumped when it comes to spotting the giveaways. That said, by carefully watching for those uncontrolled gestures that appear when least expected, you may just be able to detect the deceiver.

Spotting deception is awfully difficult to do. If you know the person, the task can be easier, but not foolproof, because you can compare behaviours between how she acts when telling the truth and when you think she may be pulling the wool over your eyes. So, focus on a wide range of clues. If you think that just one single gesture is going to give the game away, you’re just deceiving yourself.

Catching Fleeting ...