Anna Hartz
When the Truth Slips: How Language Gives Liars Away
Most people believe they can spot a lie by looking someone in the eye. But it’s not just body language that gives liars away.
The words we choose can also reveal when we’re not telling the truth. That’s what psychology professor James W. Pennebaker discovered after studying thousands of lies, writes Videnskab.
The Patterns
When people lie, they often avoid details. They use more emotional words. They also refer to themselves less often.
These patterns don’t happen by accident. They appear because lying is hard work. You have to invent something and make it sound real.
One big clue is the number of details. A truthful story usually has more facts. It includes when something happened, where, and who was involved. A lie skips some of this. It sounds vague or flat.
Distancing
Emotional language is another signal. In a real situation, feelings come through naturally. People don’t have to say, “I was very upset.”
The facts speak for themselves. But liars often add these emotional words to make the story feel true.
Self-references matter too. Truthful people use “I” and “me” more. They own their story. Liars often use “you” or “one” to sound less involved.
They try to create distance between themselves and what they say happened.
So-Called “Micro Expressions”
Verbs are also important. A lie often uses many action words. That’s because the person is imagining the events as they write or speak. They create the story in real time.
In longer lies, logical errors may appear. The timeline might not add up. Something happens at the wrong time. The order feels off. This is another sign the story isn’t true.
Lies can also show in speech patterns. Liars pause more. They use more filler sounds like “uh” and “um.” They may search for words. It’s harder to keep the story straight.
Facial expressions can betray liars too. Even a fake smile or quick flash of disgust might slip through.
These tiny “micro-expressions” are hard to control. The truth often shows on our faces before we speak.