A liar tends to:
Be too lazy
Or excessively detailed in irrelevant parts
Avoid a clear chronology
Asking for a step-by-step reconstruction increases cognitive strain.
Inconsistencies usually appear when the narrative needs to be structured.
2️⃣ “What happened right before and right after?” This is the key question.
Most lies are about the main event. What happens before and after is generally less planned.
By extending the time frame:
Contradictions are detected.
Changes in the story.
Unusual hesitations.
Genuine recollections generally include context. Lies focus on the essentials.
What NOT to do:
Don’t make direct accusations without evidence.
Don’t constantly interrupt.
Don’t look for “universal signs” like avoiding eye contact (this doesn’t always indicate a lie).
Effective detection relies on narrative inconsistencies, not isolated gestures.
No technique is foolproof.
Some nervous people can give the impression of lying.
Some trained people can lie with great consistency.
The best tool is not aggressive confrontation, but patient observation.
