Body Language Pictures While Lying

Telling the Truth Is Much Easier Than Lying

These images were taken from a video made during two theater rehearsals for an upcoming play. The top row two images are the same scene as the bottom row two images. The actress is saying the same words in the top and bottom rows. The actress is playing a character who is describing how much she loves a male character in the play.

In the first two pictures in the top row, the script words she is speaking are very close to how she really feels about the male actor in real life. During the first rehearsal (top row images) the two actors were truly in love in real life off-stage. Her words are the truth about her feelings. She is not lying.

However, before the scene was re-shot in a second rehearsal, (bottom two pictures) the two actors had a big fight and ended their relationship. Therefore this time when she speaks her script words about the play's character (the same words as in the first pictures, top row), these words are not true. She is lying and her body language exposes her real feelings toward the actor now -- although the 'loving' words are the same in both scenes. The dramatic difference in body language, especially her eyes and hands, reveals that she is stressed about saying those words and is lying.

Compare the pictures taken before the break-up (top row) and those after the break-up (bottom row). In all pictures she is saying the same words in the play's script but she is unaware of the differences in her body language.

Summary:
A liar is stressed during and shortly after a lie so watch for body language changes. Sudden changes in body language indicates stress. Often the stressful body language is self-comforting gestures with the hands, such as rubbing the nose or scratching the face and body. Also frequently the palms of the hands are suddenly hidden from view.

Additional signs that someone is becoming uncomfortable:

  - upper body rocking
  - leg swinging
  - finger or foot tapping

Theses above movements are the first signals of tension and indicate that the person feels intruded upon or nervous. If the stress escalate, these signals are often followed by:

  - intermittent closing of the eyes
  - slight tucking of the chin into the chest
  - shoulder hunching and trying to appear smaller

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