Do you really know｜如何识破一个说谎的人？

How can I spot a liar?

Lying is the act of deliberately making a false statement or concealing the truth. People might lie for different reasons, like to avoid getting into trouble, to get something they want, to make someone feel better, or to look good in front of others. However, lying is not always easy or comfortable.

When people lie, they have to deal with two conflicting realities, the truth and the lie. This can make them feel stressed or nervous. They have to remember what they said, watch how they act, and guess how others will react. They may also feel guilty, scared, or worried about being found out or exposed.

So how can you tell if someone's lying to you?

Well, there's no sure way to know if someone's lying, but there are some signs that might give them away. They can be through what they say, verbal clues, how they act, non-verbal clues, and how their body reacts, physiological clues.

What are some verbal clues?

When someone lies, they may say things that don't make sense or don't match up. They may avoid answering your questions or give you vague or off-topic answers. They may act like they're not involved in the lie by using distancing language.

They might get angry or defensive when you challenge them or question them. They might also make mistakes in their speech like stuttering, pausing, repeating or correcting themselves.

What are some non-verbal clues?

When someone lies, they may act differently than usual. They might avoid looking at you or look at you too much. They may show facial expressions that don't fit their words or emotions. They could also display tense or nervous body language and they might use less or more gestures than normal.

What changes for them physiologically?

When someone lies, their body may react in ways they can't control. They might have a faster heart rate because of stress or excitement, or higher blood pressure because of anxiety or fear. Their pupils might dilate because they're thinking hard or feeling strong emotions.

How can you improve your chances of spotting a liar?

There is no perfect way to spot a liar, but you can do some things to help you. Ask open-ended questions that need more details and explanations. Compare the person's behaviour to their normal or usual state, if you know them well, and fact-check what they say.

But do be aware of your own biases and expectations that may affect your judgment. For example, we tend to look for or favor information that confirms what we already think or want. And we often judge people based on our overall impression of them.

These can make you miss or misinterpret some signs of lying or truthfulness. So try to be as objective and open-minded as possible. There you have it.

词汇表
spot a liar 识别说谎者，识破说谎的人
deliberately [dɪˈlɪbərətli] adv. 故意地，蓄意地，刻意地
false statement [fɔːls ˈsteɪtmənt] 虚假陈述，假话
conceal the truth [kənˈsiːl] 隐瞒真相，掩盖事实
conflicting [kənˈflɪktɪŋ] adj. 相互矛盾的，冲突的
give someone away 暴露，显露（某人的内心感受）
verbal / non-verbal / physiological clues [ˈvɜːbl ˌnɒn ˈvɜːbl ˌfɪziəˈlɒdʒɪkl kluːz] 语言/非语言/生理线索
match up 相符，吻合，一致
vague [veɪɡ] adj. 模糊的，含糊的，不明确的
off-topic [ɒf ˈtɒpɪk] adj. 离题的，跑题的，与主题无关的
distancing language [ˈdɪstənsɪŋ] 疏离性语言（刻意与话题或他人保持距离的表达）
defensive [dɪˈfensɪv] adj. 戒备的，防御性的
stuttering [ˈstʌtərɪŋ] n. 结巴，口吃
tense [tens] adj. （身体或肌肉）僵直的，紧绷的；紧张的
pupil [ˈpjuːpl] n. 瞳孔
dilate [daɪˈleɪt] vi. （瞳孔、血管等）扩张，扩大
open-ended question 开放式问题（无法用简单“是或否”回答的问题）
fact-check [fækt tʃek] vt. 核实事实，事实核查
bias [ˈbaɪəs] n. 偏见，成见；偏好
confirm [kənˈfɜːm] vt. 证实，确认
overall impression [ˌəʊvərˈɔːl] 整体印象，总体印象
misinterpret [ˌmɪsɪnˈtɜːprɪt] vt. 误解，曲解
truthfulness [ˈtruːθflnəs] n. 诚实，真实

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