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How about written material? Can we spot misleading behavior in letters, documents, e-mails and even résumés?At the University of Texas at Austin, psychology professor James Pennebaker and colleagues have developed computer software known as Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), which analyzes written and verbal content for lies. Deception can reveal itself in two significant ways, explains Pennebaker.
First, liars tend to use fewer first-person pronouns -- words like I, me, mine -- than truth tellers. It's as if they're putting psychological distance between themselves and their stories; they don't "own" their message. "The paperwork was sent yesterday" is an example, as opposed to the direct and personal "I sent it yesterday." Second, liars use fewer exclusionary words -- but, nor, except, whereas. They have trouble with complex thinking, says Pennebaker, and it shows.
While most people tend to interpret darting, unfocused eyes as a classic sign of lying, what's vital to consider is the context of the behavior. (Experienced poker players, of course, are careful not to make too much of eye "tells.")
"If people look away while trying to think of something difficult, that is not important," says O'Sullivan. "But if they look away while answering something that should be easy to answer, you should wonder why."
And what is the conversation about, anyway? The subject matter is critical. "If people are lying about something they're ashamed of, they'll have difficulty maintaining eye gaze," notes O'Sullivan. "For white lies, though, or lies that aren't shameful, people may actually increase their eye gaze."
Get Better at Body Language
No single part of the face or body, such as the eyes, nose, ears or hands, can tell us the whole story when it comes to lying. It's not that simple. "There is no Pinocchio's nose," says Ekman flatly. Instead, "you must consider the fit among face, body, voice and speech to reach high levels of accuracy."
That means observing the "total person" whenever possible. "Clues must always be interpreted in light of the usual behavior," explains O'Sullivan. "Changes in small hand movements, changes in the amount of hand gestures, shrugs that are inconsistent with what's being said" -- these are worth homing in on, she suggests. So are changes in body posture at particular points in a conversation.
Watch for "a change in the baseline," says O'Sullivan. "For instance, a quiet person who talks a lot, or a person who talks a lot who is now quiet. It doesn't necessarily mean someone's lying, but it's a hot spot to evaluate."
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