Opinion: Why you should learn lie detection
The world is full of lies and those willing to lie. Lies have the potential to devastate. They can present false realities that, if used as a foundation, will inevitably bring someone’s actual reality crumbling down. It is important to learn how to detect lies to navigate the world as it really is and keep the snakes at bay.
Think about lie detection in terms of flirtation. Let us consider a simple action, such as a girl flipping her hair. If a girl always does this, it likely does not mean she is interested in someone. If a girl never flips her hair but does it only in the presence of certain people, it is important. The same is true for lie detection. The ultimate secret to uncovering deception is to establish a baseline of normal behavior and to look for deviations.
However, these deviations must be directly associated with the supposed act of deception. Susan Carnicero, a former CIA officer with more than 20 years of experience in the field, talked about behaviors perceived as defensive in her talk about spotting lies. She said to look for behaviors directly following a response. Personally, she believes deceptive behavior comes within five seconds of a liar’s response to a question. If someone chooses to cross their arms, it could be arbitrary, but if they cross their arms directly after being asked a straightforward question, it is a much different signal.
There are typical sets of behavior to look for when analyzing deception, but there are many false conceptions and platitudes about lie detection, such as avoiding eye contact. According to an article in PsychologyToday, liars overcompensate for this stereotype by making more eye contact than the average person. While the list of behaviors to look out for is extensive, particularly important indicators may include “self-comforting touches” and pointing of the feet towards the nearest exit. Lying is uncomfortable, and these two behaviors are methods for liars to comfort themselves.
Most of us are raised with a natural aversion to lying so many deceivers will not explicitly lie. They will not answer questions with “yes” or “no.” Instead, they will dodge questions and give falsely affirming statements. Carnicero refers to this in her talk as “failure to deny.” Imagine a situation in which you ask someone if they like you, and they respond with a question “why wouldn’t I like you?” This is a failure to deny and a very possible indicator the person is hiding something. Always ask clarifying, direct questions.
“The Gift of Fear,” written by renowned threat analysis and security expert Gavin DeBecker, submits fear, which is often perceived as an irrational emotion, is oftentimes the most rational of instincts. “Nature’s greatest accomplishment, the human brain, is never more efficient or invested than when its host is at risk,” wrote DeBecker. This fear is never the result of conscious logic but instead a manifestation of our subconscious.
Our subconscious brain picks up on numerous details we can not often articulate, details that show the bigger picture. As DeBecker puts it, “intuition is the journey from A to Z without stopping at any other letter along the way. It is knowing without knowing why.” While we often want to give people the benefit of the doubt, we should not question “nature’s greatest accomplishment” without good reason to.
Even if someone does not realize what their intuition is telling them, there are often other clarifying signals. For example, one only reassures or promises when they detect skepticism. DeBecker states, “in effect, the promise holds up a mirror in which you get a second chance to see your own intuitive signal; the promise is the image and the reflection of your doubt.”
The one simple law all economics is based upon is incentives matter. Incentives are especially pertinent when it comes to lie detection. Who has the motivation to deceive? What types of personality aspects are conducive to deceptive behavior? Can you reasonably predict the type of people who would lie, based on clusters of their traits?
Being deceived or betrayed is one of the worst feelings. There is a reason Dante said treachery is the worst of all sins, the lowest layer of the nine circles of Hell. It is a cold sin driven not by passion, but by icy malice. It is our responsibility to learn how to detect deception as a form of self-defense. To do otherwise is to live in a state of weakness and naivete. Learn to identify the truth, or the lack of it, for the truth will set you free.
—kfors@gmail.com