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Mark Bouton, an FBI agent for 30 years and author of "How to Spot Lies Like the FBI," tells Business Insider that he used certain tells to help identify Timothy McVeigh as a suspect in the Oklahoma City bombing. But being able to read facial expressions to detect lies can be beneficial even if you're not conducting criminal investigations, he says.
"There are a number of facial expressions and associated reactions that could indicate someone is lying to you," he says. "Some are caused by nervousness, some by chemical reactions, and others by physical reactions."
Hahaha, I like this one:
Pursed Lips - People may purse their lips to counteract the dry mouth that comes with lying.
I instantly thought of Slick Willy Clinton. During 8 years as President, that guy was constantly pursing his lips! Since then, we've learned his is a big-time liar. He often makes versions of this face: The War on Women: Juanita Broaddrick and Bill Clinton
Notable photos of both Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer making that face!
But what if some of these nervous reactions are just because the person is being interrogated? Isn't that going to cause nervousness all by itself?
Shouldn't it actually be more alarming if a person, say, being interrogated for a rape or murder, or arson or some awful thing, is absolutely collected, casual, relaxed, perfect neutral face, etc.? That he's not the least bit shocked or unnerved that the cops have hauled him in for questioning about something shocking?
I dunno...I am awful at eye contact, it unnerves me, I am horribly shy that way. And it accused of something - granted this has been much more low key for me and for sure not criminal (one time, for example, a fellow employee claimed someone else punched in for me while I came in late for lunch...stuff like that), but still - I get really flustered by authority. It's just the IDEA that somebody might think ill of me. I'm not a smart, practiced criminal who is cool as ice under scrutiny. I'm an average Jane who would crap with fear under such circumstances, I am 100% sure, even totally innocent.
According to the article, people have 'tells'. JerZ, it would be perfectly natural to be nervous if being questioned by authority. A professional would know that, and compensate for that.
What they're looking for is lying, and the body movements that would indicate a person is lying.
What fascinated me, was, if the person is right handed, and trying to truly access a memory, they will look up and to the left. If they're trying to make something up and lie, they'll look to the right.
If they're trying to truthfully describe a smell, they'll look down and to the left (like down, where your nose is). If they're trying to recall something they heard, their eyes will shift to the left...toward their ears.
Not just their face, you have to watch their entire body, their voice tone, inflection, etc. With about 90% of people you can learn to fairly accurately identify when they are lying, dissembling, or uncomfortable with what they are saying. As a trial lawyer it is a skill I have become fairly adept at, although it is more useful in depositions than in trial.
I definitely use the ones about very long "blinks" and touching the face exactly while lying. I've never noticed looking to the left or the right as meaning anything. I don't think adults are as bad about the rapid blinking and avoiding your eyes as kids are - that seems something better liars are able to control.
Most of what this guy is pretty accurate but I think he has no idea of why - his explanations are off. Touching the face is because of the body releasing chemicals that make you itchy? Oh, specifically your face, huh? No...
One of my kids has a really good tell. If you ask him a question and he answers "Yes", "Yeah" or "No", he is telling the truth. If he answers in the affirmative with "Mmm hmmm" through closed lips, he is lying.
To this day, he doesn't know how I am able to call him out on his BS answers. He thinks I can read his mind. LOL!!
One of my kids has a really good tell. If you ask him a question and he answers "Yes", "Yeah" or "No", he is telling the truth. If he answers in the affirmative with "Mmm hmmm" through closed lips, he is lying.
To this day, he doesn't know how I am able to call him out on his BS answers. He thinks I can read his mind. LOL!!
I'm smiling and remembering here.
With my youngest, if I would ask him "Did you do such and such?" his tell was "Why do you ask?" LOL
This doesn't work in the criminal field for many cases because many career criminals, by definition, are pathological liars. They can look you in the face and lie without guilt and reaction. I've also used this approach in my prior field (auditing involving white collar crime and embezzlement). I have run into very cold people out there that can lie very well. But there are other approaches I use to throw them off balance including using props to make them think I know more about the case then they think...I think this FBI guy is just boasting.
It's like the Polygraph machines which really are just fancy "sweat detectors". They have it's worth but most of it is in a persons fear of the machine which will lead them to disclose the truth. True criminal know how to deceive the machine while the innocent may just be intimidated, even with the "control question" approach, and fail.
If it were that simple and by any means accurate, the FBI wouldn't still be using polygraphs.
I suspect most introverts would be judged as liars by amateurs trying to apply a magazine article to their personal affairs. Most of the time, we are looking for a way out.
When I'm trying to clarify my thoughts and recall something with accuracy, I will always look away for a moment--and I look to the left rather than to the right because my left eye is the stronger eye.
I also sweat when I'm feeling pretty good about how things are going. Back when I was first learning chess, for instance, I was finally getting the better of my teacher, when he said, "Why are you sweating?"
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