Just One Simple Technique Can Help Anyone Detect a Liar With the Right Question

It’s frustrating to doubt if you’re being lied to right to your face, but fortunately, you can spot a liar in seconds with a simple question. They will not even realize you’re setting a trap for them and you’ll be able to see who you’re actually dealing with.

Bright Side will equip you today with a technique to identify how honest people are.

The art of the technique

The mechanism is known in psychology as the Volatile Conundrum, and it’s a subtle technique to check how truthful someone is. Dr. Jack Shafer, a former FBI behavioral analyst, explains that the method consists of asking a question you already know the answer to, to the subject. It should be a false statement so that, if the person agrees with you, you know they’re lying, and if the person disagrees, you can verify that they’re truthful.

Try not to overuse this mechanism since people can begin to notice and point out your hidden intentions of identifying a deceiver. That’ll help ensure the potential liar doesn’t realize they’re being tested and they’ll be forced to confront the struggle when interrogated.

How to perform it:

You can use it every once in a while, when you sense something’s out of place during a talk with someone. Try to maintain your posture and tone, since an efficient way of applying the mechanism is to ensure that there’s no trace of intimidation behind your inquiries and that you’re enjoying the conversation.

For example, let’s say you’re chatting with your sister’s new boyfriend. He boastfully mentions that he was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. You ask how the big chocolate cake tasted, when, in fact, you know it was a white vanilla cake decorated with flowers. If the new boyfriend said he loved the chocolate, you’ve got a liar in front of you.

What if the person is telling the truth?

If the other person was, in fact, telling the truth, remember that the Volatile Conundrum always requires an escape clause in case you were wrong about your suspicions.

Imagine that your sister’s boyfriend doesn’t remember the chocolate cake at the royal wedding, but stated that the vanilla one adorned with white roses was exquisite. Then you would realize that he was actually at the wedding reception and that your doubts were unfounded. To get out of this situation just say something like, “Oh, I thought it was a chocolate cake cause that’s my favorite,” and drift the conversation.

When to talk about your discovery

Accusing someone on the spot of not telling the truth, or implying that they’re not, can harm your relationship with them, and more so if they weren’t lying. In the example, your sister would get very mad at you, and her boyfriend may even be offended.

Instead, try having a private conversation later with the person you deem dishonest. Maybe talk to your sister afterward to prevent her from thinking that you sense her man is not that transparent. That way you’ll avoid an intense drama and give the best advice to your sister or her boyfriend.

Would you put this method to the test? Have you ever felt someone was dishonest, and your feeling turned out to be true? Share your story with our community!