--- title: How to Tell If Someone Is Lying description: Lying well is hard — but not in the way you might think. canonical: https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-04-26T09:45:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:35.383Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Signs Of Lying: Here’s What Will And Will Not Help You Detect Lies og:description: Lying well is hard — but not in the way you might think. og:url: https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Signs Of Lying: Here’s What Will And Will Not Help You Detect Lies twitter:description: Lying well is hard — but not in the way you might think. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Signs of Lying: Here’s What Will and Will Not Help You Detect Lies > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=82e0d2a1-9f27-4850-b303-1b397c829c82&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 3 Reasons Why You Just Might Get Away With Lying [Watch (HLS stream): 3 Reasons Why You Just Might Get Away With Lying](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RQE2nWcJ.m3u8) (2:28)  _Published 2013-11-21. People actually aren't very good at detecting lies. Here are three reasons why it's so difficult to determine when someone is being dishonest._ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Apr 26, 2014 9:45 AM UTC by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Apr 26, 2014 9:45 AM UTC We usually look for nervousness as one of the signs of lying. Like the person is worried about getting caught. But that’s actually a weak predictor. Some people are so confident they don’t fear getting caught. Others are great at hiding it. Some get nervous when questioned so you get false positives. And others are lying to themselves — so they show no signs of deliberate deception. So **lying isn’t necessarily hard in terms of stress**. But it is hard in terms of “cognitive load.” What’s that mean? **Lying is hard because it makes you think.** You need to think up the lies. That’s extra work. Looking for nervousness can be a wild goose chase. Looking for signs of thinking hard can be a great strategy. Via [The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GPSMYA/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005GPSMYA&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): Lying can be cognitively demanding. You must suppress the truth and construct a falsehood that is plausible on its face and does not contradict anything known by the listener, nor likely to be known. You must tell it in a convincing way and you must remember the story. **This usually takes time and concentration, both of which may give off secondary cues and reduce performance on simultaneous tasks.** This also means that many of the signs of lying we often look for aren’t accurate. And things we’re _not_ looking for can be good indicators. Via [The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GPSMYA/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005GPSMYA&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): When nervous we blink our eyes more often, but we blink less under increasing cognitive load (for example when solving arithmetic problems). **Recent studies of deception suggest that we blink** **_less_** **when deceiving — that is, cognitive load rules.** Nervousness makes us fidget more, but cognitive load has the opposite effect. Again, contra-usual expectation, **people often fidget** **_less_** **in deceptive situations**. And consistent with cognitive load effects, men use fewer hand gestures while deceiving and **both sexes often employ longer pauses when speaking deceptively**. So don’t look for signs of stress, look for indicators that the person is thinking hard. Via Richard Wiseman’s excellent book [59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307474860/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399349&creativeASIN=0307474860): **They tend not to move their arms and legs so much, cut down on gesturing, repeat the same phrases, give shorter and less detailed answers, take longer before they start to answer, and pause and hesitate more. In addition, there is also evidence that they distance themselves from the lie, causing their language to become more impersonal. As a result, liars often reduce the number of times that they say words such as “I,” “me,” and “mine,” and use “him” and “her” rather than people’s names. Finally, is increased evasiveness, as liars tend to avoid answering the question completely, perhaps by switching topics or by asking a question of their own.** **To detect deception, forget about looking for signs of tension, nervousness, and anxiety. Instead, a liar is likely to look as though they are thinking hard for no good reason, conversing in a strangely impersonal tone, and incorporating an evasiveness that would make even a politician or a used-car salesman blush.** Those are helpful tips. But how do we take it to the next level? **_What do experts at detecting lies do?_** **Increase Load** **They don’t passively rely on common signs of lying.** They actively seek to [increase the suspected liar’s cognitive load](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/07/whats-the-secret-to-being-a-better-lie-detect/). **They deliberately** [**make the person think** **_harder_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/06/what-tricks-can-you-use-to-determine-if-someo/) **to magnify the signals to a point where they are obvious.** That’s [what police detectives do](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/05/are-there-tricks-to-detecting-deception/): * **Have people tell their story backwards**, starting at the end and systematically working their way back. Instruct them to be as complete and detailed as they can. This technique, part of a “cognitive interview” Geiselman co-developed with Ronald Fisher, a former UCLA psychologist now at Florida International University, “increases the cognitive load to push them over the edge.” A deceptive person, even a “professional liar,” is “under a heavy cognitive load” as he tries to stick to his story while monitoring your reaction. * **Ask open-ended questions to get them to provide as many details and as much complete information as possible** (“Can you tell me more about…?” “Tell me exactly…”). First ask general questions, and only then get more specific. * **Don’t interrupt, let them talk and use silent pauses to encourage them to talk.** **Who You Need To Be Wary Of** It’s not the dumb people. Cognitive load, remember? Who can best handle thinking hard? Who comes up with great stories on the fly? It’s true: **smarter and** [**more creative people are better liars**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/whats-a-better-predictor-of-dishonesty-creati/)**.** From my interview with Duke professor Dan Ariely, author of [The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone—Especially Ourselves](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062183591/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062183591&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): So ask yourself who can tell better stories? It turns out more creative people can tell better stories, so that’s actually what we find. **We find it when we measure students that are more creative, they cheat more. We find that when we use priming to increase creativity, we also increase dishonesty.** It brings a smirk to my face whenever people wish for children that are smart and creative… Yes, research shows you can tell how smart your child is by [how early they start lying](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-how-smart-your-child-is-by-how-e): **The complex brain processes involved in formulating a lie are an indicator of a child’s early intelligence, they add.** A Canadian study of 1,200 children aged two to 17 suggests those who are able to lie have reached an important developmental stage. (And no, dear parents, despite what you may tell yourself [you’re **not** very good at discerning when your kid is lying](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/05/can-an-adult-tell-when-a-child-is-lying/).) **All this deception, and it’s even more common among the intelligent and creative. What to do?** **Maybe that’s why when you survey people about the most important character trait you get an unsurprising answer —** [**trustworthiness**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/02/what-quality-do-we-most-desire-in-other-peopl/)**:** Participants in 3 studies considered various characteristics for ideal members of interdependent groups (e.g., work teams, athletic teams) and relationships (e.g., family members, employees). **Across different measures of trait importance and different groups and relationships, trustworthiness was considered extremely important for all interdependent others…** **Join 45K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). Related posts: [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/) [What do people regret the most before they die?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/what-do-people-regret-the-most-before-they-di/) [What five things can make sure you never stop growing and learning?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/never-stop-growing-learning/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/) ## Transcript [00:00] Do you touch my drum set? Nope. Cuz, it's just [00:04] weird, cuz. It's easy to catch someone telling a lie on [00:07] the big screen, but what about in real life? My drum [00:11] set. Yeah, that is weird, cuz I didn't touch them. Here's [00:13] what you need to know. [ MUSIC ] A [ INAUDIBLE ] [00:14] monster with big green eyes. [00:21] The first thing you should know about lying is that [00:24] we're not very good at catching liars. According to [00:28] researchers at Brigham Young University, people are [00:31] only able to detect when someone is lying to them in [00:33] person about 54 % of the time. That might be because [00:38] there are no specific behaviors that are indicative of [00:41] deception. People often interpret lack of eye contact, [00:45] fidgeting, touching the mouth, and looking to the right [00:47] as signs that someone is lying. However, a 2012 study [00:51] found that people were equally likely to glance [00:53] upward, or left or right, regardless of whether they [00:56] were telling the truth. If I drink one [ INAUDIBLE ]. Try [00:58] to detect a lie, they tend to look for both verbal and [01:02] non verbal cues. It burns carbs. It just burns up all [01:05] your carbs. I really want to lose three pounds. Oh my [01:08] God, what are you talking about? You're so skinny. But [01:13] it's more difficult in the digital age when many [01:15] conversations occur through phones or computers. Hi, [01:18] how are you doing? And then a winky face. Perhaps for [01:21] this reason, a study found that people are more likely [01:24] to lie when sending text then talking in person. Another [01:27] study also found that it took texter's 10 % longer to [01:30] type a response when they were lying. And lastly, we [01:34] tend to view the truthfulness of men and women [01:36] differently. According to a recent study, people [01:39] perceive women to lie less than men. We [01:43] also think that women and men tend to tell different [01:45] types of lies. Men are often associated with self lies or [01:50] lies that benefit themselves. Do you remember when [01:53] we spent those four amazing hours in the hot tub after [01:57] Winter Formal? Yeah, no. While women are associated [02:00] with other lies, which benefit others. He's totally gonna [02:05] call. Regardless of the differences, a study where men [02:08] and women recorded their own instances of lying, [02:11] showed that both genders admitted to fibbing in 20 to [02:15] 35 % of social interactions I'm getting married. Who is, [02:17] who is getting married? You and I, you and I are getting [02:20] married. So, the next time you find yourself in a tight [02:22] spot, for these very reason, you just might get away [02:26] with a lie. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/"},"headline":"Signs of Lying: Here’s What Will and Will Not Help You Detect Lies","datePublished":"2014-04-26T09:45:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:45:35.383Z","description":"Lying well is hard — but not in the way you might think.","url":"https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/","keywords":["Psychology","lying"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/77940/detect-lying/","name":"Signs of Lying: Here’s What Will and Will Not Help You Detect Lies"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"3 Reasons Why You Just Might Get Away With Lying","description":"People actually aren't very good at detecting lies. 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