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I've studied and been fascinated with NLP. A blog specific to NLP by Richard Bandler and John Grinder is somewhere in my mind finding it's way to my keyboard.
One of the findings of NLP is the connection between our eye movements and it's correlation with specific processes in the brain. This system works well unless you're like me and you've study this and test yourself and others on a daily basis. Nowadays, I know where my eyes go when I'm talking to people. Even knowing these facts, I find that when I am just going with the flow of a conversation, my eyes are on autopilot and they rarely lie.
So here's a basic though not a definitive guide to spotting a lie. This is not an exact science because a knowledgeable practitioner can easily manipulate this. However, this can make for fun experiments when talking to strangers, friends, coworkers, interviewees, your boss, significant other, and so on.
The following are some general patterns that you can use when talking to someone. It shows the various directions of eye movements of a person and explains what is usually going on in their mind at that moment. It illustrates that a glance to the observer's left usually reveals a creative process -- when someone is "making up" facts or lying. A glance to the observer's right reveals that the subject is remembering facts.Here is a more detailed explanation of this method:
Up and to the Left: Indicates a visually constructed image. If you asked someone to "Imagine a Red Velvet Cheesecake with a whipped cream topping", this would be the direction their eyes move. In their mind they are "Visually Constructing" the Red Velvet Cheesecake.
Up and to the Right: Indicates a Visually Remembered Images. If you asked someone to "What color shirt did you wear yesterday?", this would be the direction their eyes move. In their mind they are "Visually Remembering" the color.To the Left: Indicates an Auditory Construct thought. If you asked someone to "Try and create the sound of a speeding train in your head", this would be the direction their eyes move. In their mind they are imagining and creating the sound of a speeding train.
To the Right: Indicates an Auditory Memory. If you asked someone to "Remember the Marine Corps Hymn", this would be the direction their eyes move in while remembering the hymn.
Down and to the Left: Indicates a Feeling / Kinesthetic / Sensory impression that is being created. If you asked someone to "Can you remember the taste of chocolate?", this would be the direction their eyes move in while they recall a smell, feeling, or taste of eating chocolate.Down and To the Right: Indicates an Internal Dialog. This is the direction of someone's eyes as they "talk to themselves."
How to use this information to detect a lie?
Let's say that you have a friend who owes you some money. You have heard that they just got paid and you want to suggest that they pay you back. You try to be polite and ask them, "Did you get paid yet?" They answer, "Gee, not yet. The boss said maybe next week." and look to their right (your left). This would indicate that they are constructing or "making up" what their boss said. They are telling a lie.
Police often ask a suspect to describe someone in detail. If the suspect looks to their right (your left) they are generally constructing or "making up" the visual description. If they look to their left (your right) they are generally recalling the details from their visual memory.
So, in general, a glance to your left when observing a person indicates that they are creating or "lying" while a glance to your right signifies that they are remembering an actual event, or being "truthful."
But there's more to the story...
Another thing that forensic interrogators look for is the use of contractions -- words like isn't, doesn't, weren't, etc. These are usually used by people telling the truth. On the other hand, people who say is not, does not, were not, etc. are often lying.
They also look for the reactions and facial expressions that accompany what the person is talking about. If someone says "I'm so sad that it happened!" but there is a delay in their expression of sadness, they are probably not being honest. The example is often given of someone who receives a present that they don't like. They often respond with "Wow. It's beautiful, I love it!" and then, some few seconds later, they smile and appear to look happy. Truthful emotions are spontaneous and instantaneous.
Another method used by professionals is to change the subject. A person who has been telling lies about a particular event will welcome the change of topic and will be visibly relaxed. An innocent suspect or a person who has been telling the truth will usually want to continue the dialog and will find the change of topic puzzling and attempt to regain focus on the topic.Body language is also a good thing to observe. Liars usually do not use their hands. They often fold their arms together in front of them or position items such as books, cups or other things between themselves and the person asking the questions. Sometimes they touch their mouth or nose alot.
Some investigators say that long and detailed answers to otherwise simple questions can indicate a lie. It's as if the more detail the person gives the more he tries to convince the questioner that he is being truthful. If they are confronted or accused of something, the liar will usually deny the accusation in a calm and emotionless manner instead of getting excited and saying things like "What? You think I did it?"
With careful video analysis, some investigators can observe rapid twitches in facial muscles that indicate a lie. Poker players, who want to leave with the most poker chips, often learn to "read" the facial expressions or "ticks" of other players to determine if they hold a good hand of cards or are just "bluffing."
To become adept at distinguishing lies, ask some neutral questions to establish the baseline of the subject. Watch their facial expressions and eye movements and test this method by asking questions and observing the pattern of shifts to left, right, up and down.
A word of caution: this method may be reversed in left-handed people. It also may not apply to people who have rehearsed their answers or who have taken drugs or consumed alcohol.
Some YouTube videos -
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