How to Read Facial Expressions to Reveal Deception
Writing and talk do not prove me, I carry the plenum of proof and every thing else in my face —Walt Whitman, “Song of Myself”If you’ve ever wondered “How do I know if someone is lying to me?” the first rule in deception detection is to watch the face. Knowing how to read facial expressions can be one of the most powerful tools at your disposal.
Our faces reveal multitudes about what we are thinking, feeling, intending. A slack jaw hints that we’ve been surprised, flared nostrils suggest hostility. Drooping eyelids indicate sadness or perhaps just … exhaustion. This is to say nothing of the powerful messages communicated by the face in the embarrassed downward glance, the flirtatious “look away,” or the piercing eye contact.
These well-known and instantly recognizable facial expressions are but a few of the literally thousands of expressions that researchers have recorded and mapped over the years while observing the face and its subtle shifts during different emotions.
Because our facial expressions are reliable indicators of our true emotional state, they are great tools for knowing when someone is lying. While not every lift of the eyebrows or tightening of the lips will yield an infallible “truth” or “lie” verdict, trained deception detection experts can glean much from careful study of the face. Master the basics of understanding body language and analyzing the words people say, and you’ll soon discover a world of information about coworkers, clients, friends and strangers that previously was hiding in plain sight.
Key Takeaways
- Humans can produce around 10,000 unique facial expressions which can be grouped into 7 universal, basic emotions.
- Microexpressions can appear and disappear in less than 1/25th of a second.
- Liars don’t always avoid eye contact.
- Reading facial expressions can improve your understanding of what other people are feeling and what they’re hiding.
What is the Science Behind Facial Expressions?
Humans are capable of making 10,000 unique facial expressions! That’s an amazing number of combinations considering we have just 43 muscles in our face. The good news is you don’t have to recognize all 10,000 to be a good, or even a great, liespotter. The most common facial expressions can be grouped into seven basic emotions: fear, happiness, sadness, anger, contempt, disgust and surprise.
People across the globe express emotions with the same basic facial expressions. Through his groundbreaking research in the 1960s in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, Paul Ekman challenged earlier theories that human expressions were learned, and instead suggested that our facial expressions are innate and universal. Researchers have since reanalyzed Ekman’s findings and question how universally applicable these claims are.
Genuine facial expressions are almost always symmetrical. From frowns to smiles, we typically reveal true feelings evenly on both sides of the face. Just like a picture hanging on a wall, one’s face looks its most natural when balanced. Six of the seven core emotions are displayed genuinely with symmetrical expressions on the face. Outside of contempt, any assymetrical displays of emotion can be key indicators that someone is hiding their true feelings.
Microexpressions
We regularly flash microexpressions that last less than 1/25th of a second. Not all of our facial emotions, even the genuine ones, are easy to read. Some signs of emotion flash by quickly, in just a split-second, before we consciously or subconsciously neutralize them. These “microexpressions” are noticeable to the trained eye, and can reveal hidden feelings and intentions along with signals that someone is lying.
The Signs of Deception in Facial Expressions
It’s the involuntary movements around the eyes that distinguish a genuine smile from a fake one. When the rock group the Eagles sang “You can’t hide your lyin’ eyes,” they were probably talking about the insincere smile of a former lover. Genuine, sincere smiles involve two main parts: upward-turned corners of the mouth, and narrowing of the eyelids to form “crow’s feet” at the corners of the eyes. Humans can consciously and fairly easily manipulate the muscles around the mouth to form the bottom half of a smile, but it’s nearly impossible for us to fake the muscle movements of the top half, the area around the eyes. So if your lover’s smile doesn’t engage the eyes – or, if it flashes only on one side of the face – there might be trouble in paradise.
Even the best liars can’t control their facial muscles well enough to hide all their emotions. Skilled liars know how to keep a poker face. Thanks to lots of practice and an ability to compartmentalize the complex emotions that surround deception, good liars can convincingly fake expressions of fear, anger, sadness—whatever the situation calls for. But even the best liars aren’t perfect: The fear of getting found out may overtake them. They might flash a look of contempt at an incompetent investigator. They might even show a hint of delight at getting away with their deception. Liespotters who are trained to elicit and notice these “leaks” can crack the case.
The most common way we try to hide our emotions is with a smile. Even though faking them is difficult, we flash artificial smiles all the time as a way to mask other emotions we are feeling. We might quickly squelch an oncoming sad expression with a forced smile as a way of avoiding an embarrassing emotional display.
While true happiness is revealed by the eyes, true sadness is revealed in the muscles of the chin. Only one in ten people can pull down the corners of their lips without also moving their chin muscles. This extra chin movement is the artificial part of a frown, and thus the giveway. If you see the chin muscles engage, chances are you’re seeing an insincere display of sadness.
Do Eye Contact and Gestures Signal Lying?
The most enduring myth about deception – that liars don’t like to make eye contact – is false. The reality is a truth-teller is just as likely to break eye contact as someone who is lying. In fact, liars tend to exhibit more eye contact, and for longer stretches, because they believe this will help to “sell” their story. Unfortunately, the myth that “liars look away” persists to this day: 72% of people in a large survey identified this action as a sign of lying. Who knows how many juries have convicted the wrong guy because a defendant who was nervous or embarrassed didn’t keep eye contact?
When we are being truthful, our facial expressions are naturally expressed in sync with our physical gestures. With deception, as with comedy, timing is everything. Want to fake your rage by slamming your fists on the table? Better sync it just right with the angry expression on your face. Otherwise it will appear unnatural and deceptive. Genuine emotional displays are almost always simultaneous.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I read facial expressions in real life?
Reading facial expressions in real life starts with observing the face for emotional signals, especially the seven universal emotions: fear, happiness, sadness, anger, contempt, disgust, and surprise. Facial expressions are powerful indicators of emotional state because many reactions happen involuntarily, making them useful for understanding feelings and spotting potential deception when combined with context and body language.
Focus on symmetry, timing, and subtle facial movements. Genuine emotions tend to appear symmetrically across the face, while asymmetrical expressions (except contempt) may suggest hidden feelings. Pay close attention to microexpressions, which can appear and disappear in less than 1/25th of a second and may reveal emotions people try to conceal. For example, real smiles involve both the mouth and the eyes, while artificial smiles often lack eye engagement.
Finally, avoid common myths such as assuming liars avoid eye contact. Truthful and deceptive people can both break or maintain eye contact, and liars may even increase eye contact to appear convincing. The most accurate reading comes from watching how facial expressions align with gestures and spoken words, since genuine emotional displays typically occur simultaneously across the face and body.
What are microexpressions?
Microexpressions are extremely brief facial expressions that reveal genuine emotions, often appearing and disappearing in less than 1/25th of a second. These subtle emotional flashes occur when a person experiences a feeling that they consciously or subconsciously try to suppress, making microexpressions important signals for understanding true emotional states and potential deception.
Because facial expressions are reliable indicators of emotion, microexpressions can expose hidden feelings, intentions, or internal conflict that may not align with a person’s spoken words or controlled facial display. Even skilled liars who attempt to maintain a “poker face” cannot fully control involuntary facial movements, which can briefly reveal emotions such as fear, contempt, or delight.
What’s the science behind eye contact?
The science behind eye contact shows that it is not a reliable standalone indicator of deception. Contrary to popular belief, liars do not consistently avoid eye contact; in fact, they often increase eye contact and hold it longer in an attempt to appear credible and “sell” their story.
Research referenced in the article highlights that both truth-tellers and liars break eye contact. The widespread myth that “liars look away” persists, with 72% of people in a large survey identifying lack of eye contact as a sign of lying. However, nervousness, embarrassment, or social discomfort can cause truthful individuals to look away just as easily.
From a behavioral standpoint, eye contact should be evaluated in context with facial expressions, microexpressions, body language, and timing. Genuine emotional displays are typically synchronized across the face and gestures, while deceptive behavior may appear poorly timed or inconsistent. For accurate deception detection, eye contact must be analyzed as part of a broader pattern rather than as a single cue.
How can I tell when someone is lying?
Detecting when someone is lying involves observing facial expressions, timing, and emotional consistency rather than relying on a single behavior like eye contact. The article emphasizes that the face is one of the most reliable sources of emotional information because involuntary facial movements and microexpressions can reveal genuine feelings that may contradict what a person is saying.
Start by watching for signs such as asymmetrical expressions, artificial smiles that do not engage the eyes, or facial emotions that appear out of sync with gestures or spoken words. Genuine emotions are typically symmetrical and synchronized across the face and body, while deceptive displays may look mistimed or inconsistent. Microexpressions, which can flash in less than 1/25th of a second, may reveal hidden emotions such as fear, contempt, or delight before someone consciously masks them.
It’s also important to avoid common myths, including the belief that liars avoid eye contact. In reality, liars may increase eye contact to appear believable. Effective deception detection comes from analyzing patterns across facial expressions, body language, and language rather than relying on one isolated cue.