13 Genius Tricks To Catch a Liar in the Act, According to Psychologists

Lies—big or small—make their way into everyone's life at one point or another. They even find their way into Disney movies, like when Princess Jasmine was deceived by Aladdin about his identity over and over again. It goes to show that deception happens everywhere and, unfortunately, no one is completely safe from it. Whether a stranger gaslights you , or it's a friend or loved one who is untruthful, fibs can slip into your life when you least expect them. While some fabrications are obvious, others can be cleverly disguised. That's why it can be very handy to have genius tricks to catch a liar in the act.

Thanks to Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver, Psy.D. , Dr. Jaime Zuckerman and Dr. J.J. Kelly, Psy.D. , we have 13 ways to catch a liar and keep you one step ahead. While some of our experts' tactics may seem subtle, don't let that fool you—they're actually incredibly powerful tools anyone can use to uncover the truth. How? These strategies are designed to help you read between the lines and pick up on small but telling cues people tend to do when they aren't being honest.

By understanding what signs and behaviors to look for when someone is dishonest, you'll be able to protect yourself in situations you may encounter. That way, the next time you get a feeling that someone is hiding something, being shady or manipulative , or telling a white lie, you can put one of these strategies into action.

Related: 8 Phrases To Replace Saying 'It's OK' When It's Really Not OK, According to Psychologists

How To Catch a Liar in the Act—13 Genius Tricks, According to Psychologists

1. Monitor a person's eyes

"Eye movement can give you additional insight into whether a person is lying or not," Dr. Zuckerman tells Parade . "Typically, liars will avoid maintaining eye contact for extended periods of time or avoid it altogether, which may be due to feelings of anxiety or guilt over lying."

However, this is a known "tell," so an experienced liar might know this and make sure to really make eye contact with you. But this can give them away too.

"Some experienced liars who are aware of eye moment involvement may overcompensate by not breaking eye contact—which can come across as uncomfortable and awkward," she says.

In addition to where they're looking (or if they're looking at you), check how their eyes look in general as they share their alleged lies with you.

"You also want to pay attention and see if pupil dilation occurs because that happens when someone is feeling anxiety and panic—something that often occurs when someone is telling a lie," Dr. Zuckerman says.

2. Be weary if someone plays the victim

If you feel like a person you are talking to is playing the victim card, that can be another way to catch someone fibbing.

"When someone meets a simple question with outrage, guilt-tripping or tears, pay attention," Dr. Edwards-Hawver warns. "That emotional response is often a way to throw you off track when they are lying, and if you're a compassionate person, it is easy for you to fall into that trap and cave to the lie."

Related: Why Wellness Scammers Like Belle From Netflix's 'Apple Cider Vinegar' Are So Believable

3. Let your gut take the lead

That gut feeling? Our experts say it's your inner compass. You've probably heard the phrase "Trust your gut!" time and time again. That's especially true when you're trying to figure out whether or not you're being misled.

"Pay attention to if you get an 'ick' type of feeling in your stomach when someone is telling you something," Dr. Kelly advises. "This can sometimes be the most important meter for gauging a lie. Your gut, your intuition, your instantaneous [reaction] are all... [a] repelled reaction to what someone is saying."

4. Watch for those slick conversation redirects

Is the person you're talking to dancing around what you asked? If so, our experts say that's not by accident.

"This is a subtle, but powerful tactic people use when they are lying," Dr. Edwards-Hawver tells Parade . "Liars often answer a different version of your question, one that feels safer to them so they can technically avoid lying. For example: you could ask, 'Did you see her when you went out last night?' and if they respond, 'I told you I was out with the guys,' it could be a sign they aren't telling you the whole truth because that response doesn't actually answer your question, it just gives the illusion of a response and subtly shifts the focus back to something already said."

5. Listen to how an individual responds

When you're trying to catch a liar, Dr. Zuckerman suggests you don't jump straight into the tough questions, but ask them neutral questions first. Why? This trick could actually help you catch them in the act of lying.

"Asking neutral questions in the early stages of the dialogue can make the conversation feel more lighthearted and make them feel less pressure, so when they begin to lie, it will be easier for you to notice a shift in their conversational mannerism and speech," she says. "Shifting between neutral and direct questions can throw a liar off balance. They may get confused and reveal inconsistencies in their story."

6. Be suspicious if someone is extra attentive

"Sometimes the biggest clue if someone is lying doesn't come down to what they say, but instead, how they act after," Dr. Edwards-Hawver explains.

That's why she proposes being extra cautious of people's behavior when they reply to you.

"You might notice a sudden shift from a person where they are suddenly being unusually kind, affectionate or helpful as a way to smooth over guilt, distract you from asking more questions or 'reset' the dynamic without addressing the truth," she notes. "These actions are designed to bypass accountability."

Related: 7 Signs You're in a One-Sided Relationship, According to Psychologists

7. Check for variations in a person's speaking pace

Dr. Zuckerman tells Parade that one way you can detect falsities is by listening, specifically to the pace at which someone is speaking to you.

"If a person is speaking slowly, it's usually because they are trying not to mess up the story and they are taking mental pauses to ensure consistency by paying very close attention to what they are saying," she explains. "If they are talking faster than normal, it's usually because they are nervous and they think that if they speed through the lie, it won't be as noticeable. They may also have anxious-speech stutters or repeat themselves."

One more voice-related behavior that can help you identify if someone is being dishonest has to do with their tone.

"While this alone is not a sign of lying, the pitch of someone's voice can change if they are lying," Dr. Zuckerman says. "Usually someone's voice will become higher pitched than their baseline voice."

8. Evaluate if a story feels overly rehearsed

Sometimes a person will practice telling a story for their lie in advance and memorize it like a script, our experts reveal.

"If the story someone is telling you sounds like a really well-rehearsed tale that they've told many times, they're probably lying," Dr. Kelly states. 

So how can you tell?

"It might sound like a sales pitch, a slogan, a t-shirt or like they're telling you a story about someone else when they're talking about themselves," they note. "Overall, it will lack authenticity."

9. Pay attention to changes in body language

"Subtle body language is often something people are not fully aware of in the moment, but it can be very telling," Dr. Zuckerman shares. She points out that's why it's important to be observant because it could give a liar away if you know to look out for it.

"Facial touching, playing with their hair, sweating, rocking on their feet, biting their lip, or biting their nails, could all be body language signs that giveaway that someone lying," she explains

Dr. Kelly agrees and shares some other "tells."

"If you notice that the person you're talking to starts to become fidgety while they're speaking to you, bouncing their leg nervously or darting their eyes, those can also be signals you can use to help figure out if they are telling you the truth," they share.

10. Take note if over-explaining occurs

Have you ever asked someone something that just needed a one-word response and instead they told you a whole story? If so, our experts say it could be a way you can catch someone lying to you.

"When someone is telling you the truth, it usually sounds straightforward," Dr. Edwards-Hawver explains. "However, liars often over-explain their responses to sound believable by adding details you didn't ask for to fill in the gaps."

11. Observe if a person's mood shifts

A person's sudden mood change can also help you nail a phony.

"A person may get angry and defensive as a way to deflect if they are lying," Dr. Zuckerman discloses. "They may also appear agitated, especially if challenged."

Related: 14 Genius Phrases To Shut Down Gaslighting, According to Psychologists

12.  Be alert of gaslighting

"One sign a person is lying is if they are gaslighting you," Dr. Edwards-Hawver reveals. "That means they are trying to make you question your memory , judgment or even your sanity at the moment."

13. Zoom in on facial expressions

Dr. Zuckerman tells Parade a trick that can help you out if you're trying to determine if someone is being truthful or not can come down to the color of their face.

"A person can become flushed or blotchy when something happens that makes their adrenaline spike, like when they feel anxious about getting caught lying" she indicates. "In some cases, sometimes a person can become pale if they go into fight or flight mode."

Up Next:

Related: 13 Lies People Tell Themselves That Do More Harm Than Good, Psychologists Warn

Sources:

• Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver, Psy.D. , is a licensed psychologist with 25 years of experience.

• Dr. Jaime Zuckerman is a licensed clinical psychologist and narcissistic abuse expert & relationship coach.

• Dr. J.J. Kelly, Psy.D. , is a licensed clinical psychologist and emotional intelligence skills training expert. They also founded UnorthoDocs, Inc. which is "a punk alternative to traditional psychotherapy..."