Verbal & Nonverbal Cues

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Verbal and nonverbal cues
I learned that a person could be identified as deceptive by his or her demeanor. There are various verbal and nonverbal deceptive cues. Most of the family members and friends that I talked to believed that unusual behavior indicated one was being deceptive.
For verbal cues, my family members and friends mentioned the use of unique words, repetition of words and a change in voice. It was said that, when one is lying, they try too hard to sound normal. However, most of the times, trying to sound normal always backfires. One ends up repeating him/herself and using unique words that he/she would not usually use. A change in voice may also occur; one may speak too fast or use a higher pitch trying to defend him/herself unknowingly.
Covering the mouth, trying to walk out of conversations, and use of manipulators and illustrators were some of the nonverbal cues mentioned. The use of manipulators includes playing with jewelry or any attire worn, and also unclasping and clasping of the hands. The use of illustrators includes increased hand motion to illustrate a point. Also, it was mentioned that when one is lying, they are always uncomfortable and looking to leave. Nonverbal cues are considered better at detecting deception.
The reliability of the cues mentioned by my family members and friends relied on familiarity with an individual. Since they are familiar with someone, they know what constitutes the individual’s normal behavior.

According to my family members and friends, a change in the typical behavior of an individual is an excellent and reliable way to tell if someone is lying. They all agree that studying demeanor is a guaranteed way to detect deception. However, my finding does not agree with the Truth Default Theory. The theory is against the use of demeanor as the most reliable deceptive cue. However, there is an agreement that nonverbal cues are better at detecting deception.