How much attention do you pay to a person’s body language? I think it was in the 1970s when someone wrote a book about body language and really opened up a conversation about the topic. The fact is, body language experts are shockingly accurate and when someone is lying, their lies can often be revealed if they’re not trying to be careful. When we’re telling a lie, our words may be smooth, but the body will give it away every single time. That’s why it’s so difficult for little children to lie. They’re not skilled in body language and they’re naturally honest.
Because of this, kids have a hard time pulling off a lie. In the image below, some of the women are lying. Can you tell which ones, based on their body language? Note that they’re all doing something different with their hands, even though their faces are mostly the same. Take your best guess. Here’s a hint: there may be more than one liar in the bunch.
Here are the answers.
Woman 1
This woman’s hands are open and facing out, so she is probably telling the truth. Her body indicates that she has nothing to hide.
Woman 2
Tugging at the ear is a sign of lying because the woman is obviously nervous. She doesn’t seem to know where to put her hands.
Woman 3
This woman appears to be interested in whoever she’s speaking with. You can see that she’s genuinely being honest.
Woman 4
When someone covers their mouth, it’s a sign they’re not being honest. She’s hiding her mouth because she’s unsure if the truth will come out.
How did you do?