We’ve all heard that there are telltale body language signs that reveal if a person is telling the truth or not.
Touching your face, avoiding eye contact, plenty of fidgeting – these have been the basic gauges we use when trying to spot a lie.
However, according to a new study conducted at the University of Sussex, there is a far more effective way to pick out a porker and it has nothing to do with body language.
The study saw twenty academics attempt to “trip up” 1,000 people at the airport in order to find their 1-in-1,000 lying prey.
The method involved asking the suspected liar an open ended question on the topic of their suspected lie.
For example, if the suspect says they work at Starbucks, asking them “so how do you get to work in the mornings?” is the best way to catch them out.
Using this method, researchers found their lying prey 70 per cent of times, 20 times more effectively than when they used the body language technique.
Tom Ormerod of the University of Sussex explained why the body language is not always reliable.
He said: “There are no consistent signs that always arise alongside deception.
“I giggle nervously, others become more serious, some make eye contact, some avoid it.”
So it turns out maybe you CAN hide those lying eyes.
Hat Tip: Metro
