TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An FBI agent for 30 years and author of `How to Spot Lies Like the FBI`, Mark Bouton, shared his experience to spot lies from facial expressions. Throughout his career, he used a certain method to help identify suspected terror bomber Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma, United States.
"There are a number of facial expressions and associated reactions that could indicate someone is lying to you. Some are caused by nervousness, some by chemical reactions, and others by physical reactions. It's best to observe someone for a while as you make small talk or ask innocuous questions, in order to see what his usual reactions are, including tics he may have," said Mark.
"Then if he exhibits several lying indicators when you ask more pointed or suggestive questions, and these are not ones he previously performed, you can be confident that he's likely lying,” he added.
Here Tempo summarized five signs you may spot in someone’s facial expressions which indicate lies as explained by Mark Bouton.
1. Eyes wink
Eyes never lie. Mark considered the saying as truth because uncomfortable feeling can be seen clearly through someone’s eyes, including wink. People in general wink for 5 to 6 times per minute or once every 10 or 12 seconds. But while under stress people will wink more, usually for 6 times consecutively, Mark explained. However, it will be different for someone having the disease such as Parkinson and Schizophrenia.
2. Calculate times someone closes the eyes
Generally, the wink speed is around 100 to 400 milliseconds. If someone closes eyes for a second or two, it is a sign that they tell lies. Closing the eyes, according to Mark, is a natural defense mechanism of human.
3. The direction of the eyeball
Right-handed people access actual memories while looking to the front. If someone looks to the right, they are accessing their imagination to invent something. While left-handed people have contra reactions.
4. Lips
According to Mark, someone will have dry lips if he tells a lie. Thus he might purse the lips to overcome it.
5. Face touching
When someone touches the face while you question him, it might be a sign he says lies. Mark stated chemical reactions cause people’s faces to itch when they lie.
AURA
