You can spot a liar by paying attention to certain behaviors and speech patterns.
Talking Points:
- Liars avoid mentioning themselves.
- A liar’s speech attitude is negative.
- A liar’s explanations are as simple as possible.
- A liar uses confusing wording.
- Liars use too many details in a simple story.
- Peoples’ eyes never lie. Telling lies naturally makes us nervous, which leads to faster heart beats and pupil dilation.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Why do you think people lie? How often do you lie? Is it usually big stuff or small stuff? Explain.
- How good are you at spotting a liar? Explain.
- Of the liar-spotting techniques listed in this topic, which ones have you picked up on in someone who has lied to you?
- A couple of these techniques involve turning attention away from the liar to something or someone else. How can you be better at picking up on this the next time you’re in a conversation with a liar?
- How can we not be fooled by confusing wording? What are some good techniques for clarification?
- How many details are too many in a story? How can you best ask someone you think is lying to repeat a story if you suspect they might be fabricating all or parts of it?
- Have you ever caught yourself doing any of these things? If so, has anyone ever called you out on it?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
