By Ben Hurst,Charlotte Minett
Copyright walesonline
A body language expert has disclosed the subtle traits that indicate someone is being dishonest with you. Key indicators to watch for include lengthy hesitations before responding to questions, increased blinking frequency, and elevated vocal pitch. Additional warning signs include excessive eye contact and defensive arm crossing as a protective gesture. Meanwhile, leftward glances, lopsided smiles, and shoulder shrugging can also betray deception, according to television behavioural specialist Judi James. This follows research revealing 34 per cent of Britons believe they possess an excellent ‘poker face’ – concealing their genuine emotions as frequently as three times weekly. The survey of 2,000 adults discovered 25 per cent are so assured of their deceptive capabilities, they believe others can rarely detect their dishonesty. Judi James, who is working with Lottoland, which commissioned the research, said: “Body language is not a precise science and it’s important to be aware of what is called The Othello Error, where what we believe to be lying traits are actually symptoms of a truthful person feeling under pressure to be believed. “TV programmes like The Traitors showcase this perfectly. People trying to prove they’re genuine Faithful’s to the other contestants will often look more guilty than the lying traitors.” The study discovered that amongst the majority (92 per cent) who mask their emotions, 28 per cent accomplish this by dodging eye contact, whilst others play with their hands or touch their face. Meanwhile, 62 per cent believe it’s crucial to conceal their emotions when in public. Primary motivations reasons include preventing confrontation, maintaining composure and avoiding uncomfortable situations. Others do so to protect someone’s feelings and to remain professional. With 28 per cent most inclined to suppress their genuine emotions within a work environment. A spokesperson for Lottoland said: “The ability to deceive does make an excellent poker player – it’s all about not giving anything away in your facial expressions. “It seems many people are confident in their own lying abilities, and they do it often, but I do wonder if they are a good as they think. “A lot of the tactics they use to hide their emotions, for example fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, does also appear in the list of things people look out for to catch a liar. This is why we partnered with Judi, to see what a real expert makes of this.”
