How a liar reacts when caught: 6 signs

You’re probably wondering how a liar acts if he’s about to be caught. If he acts like a normal person, his words, gestures and behavior usually betray him.

How does a discovered liar react? 6 signs

When a person is easily convinced by words, it will be difficult for him to denote a lie uttered by his interlocutor. Here are the 6 signs you may notice if your liar interlocutor is being discovered:

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1. His gaze:

As the saying goes, “the look is the reflection of the soul” , so you will see that by his look, there will be nervousness and stress. His gaze will have no specific direction, and he will try to avoid yours as much as possible. A furtive and uncertain gaze, or even a persistent gaze, is typical of discovered liars.

His gaze blinks very frequently, it is a sign that he is telling a lie (narcissist lying).

2. Her face:

When a liar is exposed, if he is mostly fair-skinned, he blushes very quickly. This is caused by stress which increases his body temperature tenfold, blood pressure increases too, and you will even see beads of sweat on his forehead.

Their smile is also not natural, you will see that it is a forced smile, that he tells you unfounded spiels.

3. His gesture:

Panic is the first reaction of a discovered liar. He panics uncontrollably, and you’ll know he’ll drop things or mindlessly reach for things in his bag.

He will touch the collar of his shirt, or the end of his tie, so be careful what he says because he may be lying to you. If he’s waving his arms around trying to explain to you, or hiding it behind his back, chances are he’s hiding something from you.

4. His posture:

A lying person will have an uncomfortable posture. Most of the time, if we have nothing to reproach ourselves with, we relax in a discussion, but this is not the case with the liar. Notice that he frequently moves his shoulders or foot.

5. His breathing:

A person who hides something, who utters a lie is also betrayed by his breathing. The blood pressure which rises, the stress which accelerates the blood circulation causes in him a kind of shortness of breath. The person breathes more quickly, in a jerky way, it is a sign that he is lying to you.  

6. His voice:

Indeed, the voice of an unmasked liar also undergoes this change, like a higher pitched voice for the man and a lower voice for a woman. The voice of a liar becomes more quivering and comely to try to convince his interlocutor.

Can a discovered liar change?

According to Michel Fiez: “there is no liar by nature. There are only lies”. Like what, everyone has a second chance to change and innovate in life. Only time will be master of their real change.

But most of the time, a liar, after being discovered tries to salvage the relationship he has with you. This rescue could push him to change in a sincere and lasting way, and if you show him clearly that such an incident will not happen again.

How to easily unmask a liar? 5 tips

Here are some tips to unmask a liar:

1. Make him lose control

A liar ready to be discovered will use the technique of self-control, which is quite effective during the discussion. He will not master this technique for long if you try to destabilize him with your argument.

2. His mouth and his swallowing

It’s pretty harmless, but if you’re sure you’re talking to a liar, they’ll either swallow often or talk aggressively. Men are frequently betrayed by their Adam’s apple. You will also see that the liars have a dry mouth, that they lubricate their lips mechanically.

3. Itchy hair

You notice that your interlocutor often scratches his head, brushes his hair with his hand. He is surely lying to you on the subject discussed.

4. Investigate the lying subject

Do some research, find the details that could surround the lie of the narcissist. And ask the questions.

5. His hands

He unconsciously turns the palms of his hands towards him during the discussion.

Can you trust a liar?

Logically, no one would trust a liar. As the saying goes so well,  “Trust is like an eraser, it diminishes with every lie”. The deceivers, the manipulator, the narcissists as well as the mythomaniacs for example, when they come back to you after years of absence, do not manifest a radical change but just their modus operandi.

Lie discovered – How to turn the page?

The best solution after discovering a lie is to go ahead. You must give time to time in order to heal from this betrayal that you have just suffered. Sometimes the breaking is not the solution but listening is.

References

Here are seven bibliographical references on the theme of the reaction of a discovered liar:

1. Verschuere, B., & Meijer, E. (2023). Lie detection based on level of detail: an effective approach. Nature Human Behavior.
2. Vrij, A., & Granhag, P.-A. (2024). Interrogation techniques and detection of inconsistencies in liars. Journal of Investigative Psychology.
3. Ekman, P. (2024). Facial microexpressions in lie detection. Journal of Applied Psychology.
4. Archimbaud, A. (2024). Effective Lie Detection: Techniques to Unmask a Liar. Review of Criminology and Forensic Psychology.
5. Mielczareck, E. (2022). How to recognize a liar? Review of Semiology and Communication.
6. Leal, S., & Vrij, A. (2016). Nonverbal language: how to detect lies. Personality.fr.
7. SciencePost (2023). Researchers reveal simple technique to detect if someone is lying. SciencePost.

These references provide an overview of current research on lie detection and the reactions of liars when discovered.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the discovery of a lie can elicit a variety of reactions from a liar, ranging from visible panic to subtle changes in behavior or body language. While these clues can help unmask a liar, it is essential to interpret them with caution and to favor a dialogue-based approach to manage the consequences of betrayal. Lying, although universal, can also be an opportunity to rebuild trust, provided there is sincere awareness and a real effort to change.