Minimising Hand Gestures ..........................................................................
A valuable means of spotting deception is the way people use their hands,
because most people are unaware of how they use them. When you’re excited
you may wave and flap your hands about without being aware of exactly what
you’re doing. Unconsciously, when you’re being deceptive – surely not – you
sense that your hands can give you away so you suppress them. You may tuck
them into your armpits, shove them in your pockets (where they can ner-
vously jingle and jangle your keys and coins), or even sit on them. When all
that fails, one hand may hold the other in a tight clasp. Whatever you choose
to do with your hands, your observer is on alert. You may also see the Hand
Shrug, in which the palms of the hands face upwards, signifying helplessness.
The hands disclaim any responsibility for what the mouth is saying.A man who is being deceptive tends to keep his hands still. He keeps to a
minimum, if not completely contains, actions that would normally be used to
emphasise a statement, drive home a point, or underscore an idea. Conversely,
when a woman is being deceptive she tends to use her hands more than usual.
She keeps them busy, as if deflecting attention from what’s really happening.Maximising Body Touches ..........................................................................
In their unease, deceivers stroke their bodies in an effort to provide comfort
and reassurance. They also touch certain parts of their bodies as if to block
out information or prevent it from escaping. Excessive chin stroking, lip lick-
ing and pressing, eyebrow scratching, and hair grooming when taken in con-
text are potential giveaway signs that something is amiss:The ear fiddle: This person tugs at her earlobe, rubs the back of her ear,
and may even shove her index finger deep within the ear canal as she
seeks the comfort of bodily contact.
The collar tug or neck scratch: When someone’s holding back informa-
tion she often tugs at her collar or scratches her neck. This action is in
response to the tingling sensation in the delicate neck tissues that is
caused by increased blood pressure. When a person’s being deceptive
and senses that you know it, her blood pressure increases causing a
slight sweat to form on the neck. An irresistible urge to relieve the sensa-
tion causes the person to pull at her collar or stroke her neck. The neck
scratch, in which the index finger may rub the neck up to five times, sig-
nals distrust and reservation.The nose rub: Several quick rubs below the nose or one quick almost
imperceptible nose touch can also signal that someone’s being deceitful.
Like all possible signs of deception however, you must be careful when
interpreting the nose touch. The person may just need to give it a quick
wipe for hygienic reasons.Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Spot Deception 269