Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could determine when someone is being dishonest?
Studies indicate that in the first five minutes of meeting someone, we can often assess them with roughly 70 percent accuracy. While this appears to be effective, that remaining 30 percent could lead to significant consequences.
To thrive as an undercover agent for the FBI, it was essential for me to master the ability to read individuals within moments. A misjudgment in evaluating the person I was dealing with could endanger an entire operation.
Uncovering lies is challenging work, and there’s no definitive signal. However, here are two crucial insights you ought to remember:
1. About 55 percent of communication relies on body language. Thus, effectively interpreting nonverbal signals is vital to safeguard against being misled or tricked.
2. Conversations consist of a sequence of words and gestures brought together to convey meaning. A single word or gesture can have multiple interpretations—but it can also signify nothing at all. Observing someone’s initial actions is key to establishing a baseline.
It’s a serious mistake to interpret an isolated gesture. For instance, scratching one’s head might signify confusion—or just an itchy scalp. Some individuals punctuate their dialogue with continual gestures and movements, while others remain relatively motionless. The trick is to observe how these actions fluctuate during a discussion.
Here are three focal points to concentrate on if you want to read individuals like an FBI expert:
1. Hands provide a wealth of insights.
Your hands have more nerve connections to your brain than any other part of your body. Our brains are naturally wired to use our hands to convey emotions, thoughts, and feelings accurately.
Some common revealing hand gestures include:
- Hand steepling (bringing the tips of your fingers together, akin to a prayer position) suggests confidence in your thoughts or circumstances.
- Clenching fists indicates anxiety or worry.
- Gently stroking the neck with a finger reflects a lower level of confidence and is a subconscious method of alleviating stress (typically done five times).
2. Always trust the feet.
As unexciting as it may seem, the feet are the most truthful part of the body. People often bounce up and down when they encounter something or someone that brings them joy.
Once, I interrogated a person I suspected had links to a Russian spy. At first, his responses were open, and his body language appeared relaxed. But when I steered the conversation towards the Russian spy, he uncrossed his legs and positioned his feet flat on the ground with locked ankles. This didn’t outright mean he was lying, but it did suggest he felt anxious when the topic shifted.
Utilize these indicators to recognize revealing movements:
- Jiggling a leg while seated signifies discomfort or anxiety about something that was mentioned. While some individuals always have a habit of leg jiggling, pay attention when they start kicking—this indicates they’re being questioned about something they dislike.
- Crossing ankles shows that the person is mentally “biting their lip” and restraining a negative emotion, uncertainty, or fear.
- Pointing their feet towards the exit or elevator signals a desire to terminate the conversation. Often, an individual’s body will angle towards where the feet are pointing even if their face is turned towards us.
3. Be cautious with facial expressions.
Facial micro-expressions can hold meaning but can also be misleading.
I’ve never depended on them to accurately gauge a person’s thoughts or statements. Children often hear, “wipe that expression off your face,” which teaches us very early to master our expressions.
Pay attention to these signals that are often more revealing than facial expressions alone:
- As children, covering our mouths indicated deceit, but adults might touch their nose when being untruthful, suggesting caution in how they phrase their upcoming responses.
- Raised eyebrows demonstrate excitement upon seeing someone or reveal positive feelings that can’t be contained.
- Tilting one’s head conveys a strong message of I feel at ease. It’s a difficult gesture to make in the company of those we dislike.
- Touching the hands, face touching, crossing arms, and leaning away are all indicators that, in isolation, might mean little, but collectively, they are a strong indication of dishonesty.
