Is someone lying to you? A lack of detail may give them away

1 year ago 46

Mind

A lack of detail may be the best indication that someone is lying to you, according to an investigation that found this single measure was more accurate at identifying falsehoods than considering multiple factors

By Carissa Wong

Woman looking at man

Does maintaining eye contact mean someone is less likely to be lying?

Anna Tolipova/Alamy

An investigation into the best way to identify lies has found that focusing on the level of detail in what people say, while ignoring all other cues, is the most successful method – but if liars know that, they might more easily deceive you.

People trained to detect lies often rely on multiple cues, such as eye contact, length of responses and the details in what people say, but studies have shown that assessing a wide range of behavioural information …

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 14th April 2023.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Read Original