A moose once bit my sister....

Now if a friend told me this, I'd be inclined to disbelieve him or her. After all, Australia isn't really known for rampaging herds of moose.

Such obvious untruths aside, apparently most of us aren't very skilled at detecting when people are lying to us. Many times, we want to trust people, particularly when the stakes are low or they're telling us what we want to hear.

When I ask about my new hair cut, do I really want you to tell me my expensively coiffed bob makes me resemble Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber?

No realli! She was Karving her initials on the moose

with the sharpened end of an interspace toothbrush

Truth is (!) that we all lie. We do it to get what we want, to please others, to get out of trouble. I've trotted out the 'my alarm didn't go off' story rather than admit I just couldn't get out of bed. I've been 'economical with the truth' in order to spare someone's feelings. So called 'white lies' but lies nonetheless.

"...given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist ..."

Harmless enough? Maybe. But there are times when we really need to know whether we're getting the truth from someone. Important decisions may rest upon it. Remember the recent Naked Tomato incident and the ensuing outfall?

Face to face, it may seem easier to detect a lie but there are no guarantees.

"Lying is not a distinct psychological process with its own unique behavioral indicators. It does matter how liars feel and how they think. Indeed, many of the tell-tale signs common to liars, like fidgeting and sweating, can also be signs of ordinary anxiety. It’s tough to tell the difference between a liar and an honest person who happens to be under a lot of stress."

Professor Bella DePaulo, University of California

"..and star of many Norwegian movies: "The Hot Hands of an OsloDentist","Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Molars of Horst Nordfink"..."

There are several cues that may suggest when someone is being less than truthful with you, although these should be viewed with Professor DePaulo's words in mind. Such signs may simply reflect someone's general nervousness or anxiety.

A failure to maintain eye contact.

A change in tone, stammering, throat clearing.

Fidgeting, touching the face or nose (the Pinocchio sign), turning away.

Nervous or uncomfortable behaviour in general.

Blushing (or becoming pale) and increased blinking.
Something sounds fishy. "A moose once bit my sister...." .....right up there.

Inconsistent statements. Keeping track of lies can be hard work.

Defensiveness. Refusals to answer specific questions, accustions of lying.
Willingness to change the subject, sometimes using humour or sarcasm.

Mynd you, moose bites Kan be pretti nasti...

Now, isn't that the truth?

Amendment

Thank you to Dreaming Again who made the important point that some of the body signs listed above could simply represent the manifestation of a medical condition.

Resources

How to detect lies

Lying is good for you
The top 7 signs that someone is lying to you