What is the best way to catch someone who is telling a lie?
For a long time, the traditional method of identifying liars was to watch their body language, including facial expressions.
According to a new study, body language cannot be trusted. Talking, it seems, is the best way to smoke out a liar. That is what researchers in the United Kingdom found out recently. Their investigation took place at one place where lying can get you into big trouble -- an airport. _____16______
1. ____17_____
These are the opposite of “Yes” and ‘"No” questions. Open-ended questions force the person to stretch the story of their lies until they are caught in their own net of lies.
2. Use the element of surprise
_____18_____ Ask questions that are surprising or off-topic. This will make it harder for them to keep lying. Or better still ask them to re-tell an event backwards in time, going from the most recent event to the earliest. This is hard enough to do with the truth, let alone a story of lies.
3. Look for small details that do not add up or, in other words, make sense.
Ask them details about their stories and look for facts that seem in disagreement with each other. But do not let them know you know. ______19_______
4. Watch for changes in confidence and speaking styles
Liars will often change their speaking style when they are questioned. For example, when they feel in control they may be very talkative. _____20______
A. The British government partly financed this study.
B. The agents talking with the passengers were 20 times more likely to catch the liars.
C. But if they feel they are losing control, they may not talk much at all.
D. Use open-ended questions
E. Here are four ways of catching a liar.
F. Just let them dig themselves deeper into a hole.
G. Ask questions they may not think you are going to ask.