# Resolved: Body Language is an awful way of judging reliability and truthfulness **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 4, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620 "2023-09-04T23:30:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/41 "2023-09-06T18:21:40Z")
Water in the fire. WHY? Not understand. > **[Korone Inugami - Water in the Fire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbwsZ2D3wto%2F)** > > WHY?Source Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_pid5tfoOy8 ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/42 "2023-09-06T18:27:03Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Very often when a person is just starting a story that is not true they will touch the corner of their eye or sometimes an ear lobe. As a wearer of contact lenses which can get dry in air conditioning environements or in dusty air I strongly contest your opinion. I touch my eyes way more often than I lie, probably more often than I speak. Particularly in spring, with all this hay fever inducing pollen floating around. And don’t get me started about ear lobes… those I touch way more seldom than I lie. Specially other people’s ear lobes, that is a no-go in my circles. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/43 "2023-09-06T20:33:53Z")
And apparently if your arms are crossed, then you’re “closed off” or something like that. Or, in my case, I’m sitting in either an armless chair, or a chair with really low arms, and crossing my arms is the most comfortable way of storing my arms. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/44 "2023-09-06T20:39:25Z")
I think that if you know a person well enough you may detect some unusual body language that is a reason to be suspect. If they were being dishonest it’s an indication that they are uncomfortable, possibly because they aren’t being truthful, so the next step is to talk to them with that in mind. One technique is to ask them if they are nervous, then play with them a little. See if you can seem sympathetic to their position and maybe get them to tell you the whole truth. There many approached to this, but if you just decide someone is lying because they touched their face you could be making a mistake. They might touching their face because of the poison ivy rash you later remember they got at your house helping you put up a fence. Falsely accusing people of lying never works out well entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/45 "2023-09-06T23:01:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, he used that posture, and my method (which I’m now even more confident in) says that anyone using that posture is lying”. And thus confirmation bias has entered the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/46 "2023-09-06T23:06:42Z")
I get accused of being snobbish and uninterested, because of my own body language. Mostly I’m just scared to death. I don’t think you can know anything about anyone by how they sit or use their hands or arms. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/47 "2023-09-06T23:13:43Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The whole picking apart body language thing is just another element of rape culture. In this specific context, perhaps. In general, it’s just the usual bullshit of people wanting to pretend they know more than they do, or can, in an effort to pretend the world is easier to understand than it really is. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/48 "2023-09-06T23:21:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > In this specific context, perhaps. Yes, I was referring to this specific context. People’s gut intuition tends to align very nicely with what they want to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2023, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/49 "2023-09-07T07:47:31Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > People’s gut intuition tends to align very nicely with what they want to be true. That’s so true. Experience has shown repeatedly that my gut feeling is almost always wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/50 "2023-09-09T09:33:43Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > People’s gut intuition tends to align very nicely with what they want to be true. Absolutely, this happens all the time and motivated reasoning is often at play, from the wiki description > Motivated reasoning is a [cognitive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_science) and [social](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_psychology) response, in which individuals, consciously or unconsciously, allow emotion-loaded motivational biases to affect how new information is perceived. Individuals tend to favor arguments that support their current beliefs and reject new information that contradicts these beliefs.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning#cite_note-kunda-1) > > Motivated reasoning, [confirmation bias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias) and [cognitive dissonance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance) are closely related to each other.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning#cite_note-stone-2) > > Both motivated reasoning and confirmation bias favor evidence supporting one’s beliefs, at the same time dismissing contradictory evidence. Motivated reasoning (motivational bias) is an unconscious or conscious process by which personal emotions control the evidence that is supported or dismissed. However, confirmation bias is mainly an unconscious (innate, implicit) cognitive bias, and the evidence or arguments utilised can be logical as well as emotional. More broadly, it is feasible that motivated reasoning can moderate cognitive biases generally, not just confirmation bias.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning#cite_note-stone-2) > > Individual differences such as political beliefs can moderate the emotional / motivational effect. In addition, the social context ([groupthink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink), peer pressure) also partly controls the evidence utilised for motivated reasoning, particularly in dysfunctional societies. Social context moderates emotions, which in turn moderates beliefs.[_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_] > > Motivated reasoning differs from [critical thinking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking), in which beliefs are assessed with a skeptical but open-minded attitude. It partly explains not only a lot of the issues raised in this specific thread but also on why a lot of debates play out as inconclusively as they do (including here on this very board). It is a very human tendency. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/51 "2023-09-09T12:38:27Z")
\<\< deleted by poster \>\> ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/52 "2023-09-09T13:21:10Z")
While having nowhere near Ulysses’ experience, I have inteviewed/interogated my fair share of criminal suspects. I agree completely with what Ulysess said. Body language is a thing. Humans are animals and exhibit certain behaviors depending on what is going on. From my point of view, stress levels (but not necessarily lying) can be assessed, based behaviors. Reading these cues is just one aspect of getting to the truth of the matter at hand. For instance, when a suspect drops his head or folds his arms on the table and places his head on them, I might read that as a sign of resignation. I have good reason to believe that the suspect is about to confess and press in that direction. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it happen. That said, there no absolutes, only clues. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/53 "2023-09-09T13:30:01Z")
> [@Moonrise](#): > > Experience has shown repeatedly that my gut feeling is almost always wrong. I always trust my gut… on matters within its area of expertise. When my gut tells me that it’s about time for supper, or that the potato salad I had yesterday was starting to go off, I believe it. Why I would expect my digestive system to know whether someone’s lying to me, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/54 "2023-09-09T15:27:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why I would expect my digestive system to know whether someone’s lying to me, I have no idea. Perhaps because the gut has a connection to those other areas of the body that engage in conscious thought. > [@](#): > > The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation — all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut. > **[The gut-brain connection - Harvard Health](https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection)** > > The brain has a direct effect on the stomach, causing GI conditions. A person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression.... ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/55 "2023-09-09T15:34:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why I would expect my digestive system to know whether someone’s lying to me, I have no idea. > [@Moriarty](#): > > Perhaps because the gut has a connection to those other areas of the body that engage in conscious thought. Sure, but that’s just saying that if you believe someone is lying to you, you may feel physically ill. Your gut may be an indication of your state of mind, but it says nothing about whether your beliefs are _correct_. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/56 "2023-09-09T16:06:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I always trust my gut… on matters within its area of expertise. When my gut tells me that it’s about time for supper, or that the potato salad I had yesterday was starting to go off, I believe it. For sure, my gut does a splendid job at the things you mention too ! Actually, it’s now telling me it’s starting to feel a bit… peckish. To go back to the OP, and qualify what I’ve written above, I’d say that my gut feeling is often right when it tells me be wary of someone, but almost always totally wrong when it tells me to trust someone. But I don’t really believe in tell-tale gestures. Well, if someone is running away from me, it’s probably a reliable sign that they don’t like me much, but apart from that… ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/57 "2023-09-09T16:29:20Z")
> [@Moonrise](#): > > if someone is running away from me, it’s probably a reliable sign that they don’t like me much Maybe they don’t like the leopard that’s behind you. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/58 "2023-09-09T16:30:43Z")
That explains _everything_ ! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/59 "2023-09-09T17:39:52Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > From my point of view, stress levels (but not necessarily lying) can be assessed, based behaviors. Reading these cues is just one aspect of getting to the truth of the matter at hand. For instance, when a suspect drops his head or folds his arms on the table and places his head on them, I might read that as a sign of resignation. I have good reason to believe that the suspect is about to confess and press in that direction. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it happen. That said, there no absolutes, only clues. Of course, but _what that stress is due to_ is the question. In the issue that ultimately led to this thread (Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas), it was stress due to trying to keep emotions under control while testifying about a terrible experience. Someone here thinks it wasn’t stress, it was lying due to her being a rejected temptress wanting to destroy a man’s career. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620/60 "2023-09-09T23:10:07Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > In the issue that ultimately led to this thread (Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas), it was stress due to trying to keep emotions under control while testifying about a terrible experience. Someone here thinks it wasn’t stress, it was lying due to her being a rejected temptress wanting to destroy a man’s career. I was hoping that @nearwildheaven would give us a little more insight on what she observed that led her to draw her conclusion that Hill was lying. (It’s not a gotcha. I figure there must be some physical signs she saw that gave her that feeling. I’m just curious what they were) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620.md?page=4)