According to the Advisor

March 2005

Question
Can you tell just by looking at someone if he or she is lying to you? -- R.T., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Answer
Most people aren't accomplished enough liars to conceal their guilt. Jack Trimarco, a former FBI profiler who hosts a Court TV show called Fake Out, says you should be suspicious of a person who:
(1) changes his usual speech patterns -- a person may also pause as he invents a lie or repeat the question to buy time;
(2) subconsciously lowers his voice because he's ashamed of the lie he's about to deliver;
(3) denies specifics, such as insisting she didn't cheat with the neighbor because the guy actually lives three doors down;
(4) remains calm while working hard to convince you that you're mistaken -- an innocent person is more likely to grow angry, and his denials to grow stronger;
(5) changes the subject;
(6) displays conflicting verbal and nonverbal behaviors, such as saying no while nodding yes;
(7) changes her story over time ("A lie is hard to remember, while the truth is easy," Trimarco says);
(8) avoids eye contact.

Someday you may not need intuition to ferret out untruths. A few British insurance companies are experimenting with voice-analysis software to identify people who call in with false claims (initially, about 10 percent have been identified as suspicious), and scientists are scanning the brains of volunteers to see if they can identify which areas light up when a lie is told.