By Andrew Nuttall

Copyright dailyrecord

People lie all the time. Sometimes it’s obvious, but even the best might not get away with it once people understand the ‘strong’ sign most liars think will help them appear trustworthy . Body language expert Adrianne Carter said that people believe in a very common myth when it comes to looking like they’re telling the complete truth. But, in reality, if they do overcompensate, you can almost always weed out when someone is trying to lie straight to your face. Adrianne has more than 25 years of experience, beginning as a trained counsellor and psychotherapist. She is also certified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Natural Success Psychology Coaching, and a qualified Facial Action Coding System coder. She said: “I was talking to somebody the other day and they asked me about eye contact and lying. They said ‘Is it true that someone who doesn’t make good eye contact is lying?’ “The answer is often no, that’s not true at all. Actually, what happens is the opposite. Someone who’s lying will often hold eye contact longer and stronger because they want to make you believe them. “They know the myth, too, that shifty eye contact is a sign of lying, so they do the opposite. Ideally, in a normal interaction, we’re looking for eye contact about 60 to 70% of that interaction. Any more, it can be too aggressive and too domineering, or someone trying to make you believe their lies.” Adrianne made it clear in her clip that she’s not talking about people with neurodivergence, acknowledging that this is “something [people] often find hard to do” . Several body language experts support this idea. According to Carol Kinsey-Goman , an international keynote speaker on body language who shared her insight with Forbes , it is one of “the biggest body language myths” that liars avoid eye contact. Carol claimed: “While some liars (especially children) find it difficult to lie while looking you in the eyes, most liars, especially the most brazen, actually overcompensate to ‘prove’ that they are not lying by making too much eye contact and holding it too long.” Body language can often be a subtle sign that isn’t being spoken about. It can help people to understand more about a situation without having to rely on the words that are spoken – either by interpreting the movements of others or subtly doing something yourself to influence the situation. For example, Adrianne posted another video online that told people about an unspoken rule that, in the minds of others, can make you seem friendlier and more approachable. She said: “Do you want to look instantly friendlier? “Well, there’s a body language move that you can do right now to make yourself look a little bit more friendly, and it’s this. Just tilt your head slightly. It can be either side, whichever feels most natural to you, and people will instantly perceive you as more friendly. “It’s less threatening. You know, confidence and strong eye contact can be quite domineering. However, that little head tilt and maybe a gentle smile show you in a much more friendly light.”