Lying eyes? 10 Ways a Look Gives You Away

10 Ways Your Eyes Give You Away

Eye movements and eye contact reveal what you’re thinking.

Your eyes communicate more than you may think -- and you can’t always control everything they reveal. Body language experts tell how to read a person’s eyes to tell if they’re happy to see you, disgusted, bored, stressed and even lying.

Pupil Size

You may be able to control your facial expressions, but your pupils tell a different story, letting others know if you like what you see. Many studies show that looking at a person or object you love increases the size of your pupils. On the opposite end, pupils shrink when you’re repulsed or view something distasteful. “Even if you can’t see a person’s pupils, their reaction registers with you subconsciously,” says Joe Navarro, a former FBI counter intelligence officer, body language expert and author of “What Every Body Is Saying.” He says, “Pupils also constrict when we’re stressed. It’s hard wired into us.” Large pupil size also makes us more appealing, says Navarro. Egyptians put belladonna (a plant from the deadly nightshade family) in their eyes to make them dilate and appear more attractive.

Eye twitch

A twitchy eyelid may be incredibly distracting to the person with the twitch, but it can also be noticed by others. Does it mean they don’t like what you’re saying? “You can’t take it personally,” says Dr. Sandy T. Feldman, an eye surgeon and the medical director at ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center in San Diego. “An eyelid twitch results from a spasm of the eyelids and may be indicative of stress or a medical condition.” It’s typically less of a form of body language and more the effect of caffeine, eye irritation or alcohol, all of which can cause a twitchy eye. An eyelid that twitches along with the side of the mouth may indicate a neurological issue and should be checked by a doctor.

Shifty eyes

Ask a person a question and see if their eyes go up as they conjure up an answer. Some training experts say if they look up and to the right they’re probably lying; if they look up and to the left they’re telling the truth. It’s not quite that simple, says Navarro. “A lot of myths exist about lying and eye direction. We look in certain directions according to how we process the information, which varies from person to person.” Some people look down when they’re dealing with emotions, but it’s not universal. Looking up and around doesn’t necessarily mean that person is lying, it simply shows they are processing information, says Navarro.

Blink rate

Can you catch someone lying in “the blink of an eye”? Quite possibly. We blink less in some situations (e.g. reading, daydreaming and working at the computer) and more when we’re under stress -- and when lying. Most people normally blink between eight and 21 blinks per minute at rest. Watch someone like Lance Armstrong being interviewed and you may see him blink much more when responding to the tough questions, says Navarro. “But you can’t call everyone a liar just because their blink rate goes up, however.  Bill Clinton blinked over 92 times per minute during his deposition, which was a reflection of the stress he was under.” Factors such as dry air and pollen can also increase blink rate.

Eye blocking

If you ask a friend for a favor and they agree but rub their eyes at the same time they respond, they’re not comfortable with your request, says Navarro. Called “eye blocking,” this body language maneuver is extremely accurate, according to Navarro. Eye blocking includes covering or shielding the eyes or lowering the eyelids for a prolonged period. “President Obama does this frequently whenever Joe Biden says something he doesn’t like,” Navarro says. In the case of you asking for your friend’s help, his eye blocking behavior reveals his true feelings, even though he may agree to your request. “Even children who are born blind will block their eyes when they hear things they don’t like,” says Navarro.

Eye Contact

A person who looks you in the eye isn’t necessarily telling you the truth, says Navarro. In fact, it’s likely the opposite.  “When people are lying they actually engage in more eye contact. They look into your eyes to see if you’re buying their story,” says Navarro. Often, when you’re relaxed and comfortable with another person you won’t look them in the eyes but may look around you as you talk to them. In addition, the socially acceptable length of time to look into another person’s eyes is largely cultural. “In the U.S. we can stare at someone for about two seconds without making them feel uncomfortable,” says Navarro. “It’s much longer in the Arab or Latin American world, however, and even varies regionally. People from the Midwest hold a gaze longer.”

Narrowed eyes

Accuse someone of an act they didn’t do and you may see them narrowing their eyes at you. “People narrow their eyes in response to something they find disgusting or distasteful or they feel they’re being wrongly accused,” says Cara Hale Alter, president of SpeechSkills, a communication training company in San Francisco and author of “The Credibility Code.” She says, “The narrower the eyes, the more distasteful.” The true key to the person’s feelings can be found in the rest of the face. Narrowed eyes accompanied by tight lips, for example, may indicate anger or seething, says Alter. “Clearly it’s a negative response, so you may want to ask if you’ve said something or misjudged that person.”

Arching Eyebrows

We exhibit gravity-defying behaviour such as eyebrow arching when we’re happy and contented, says Navarro. Like raising your arms over your head when you cross a finish line or when your team scores a touchdown, arching your eyebrows when you see a person gives them a sense you’re really happy to see them. “When you approach someone with arched eyebrows and a ‘hey, how are you?’ it conveys positive emotions,” says Navarro. “People who are clinically depressed do not exhibit this behaviour. Mothers naturally do this with their babies. It’s a trait we see in all cultures.”

Wide open eyes

Wide open eyes can be interpreted only by looking at the person’s entire face, says Alter. “Eyes wide open can indicate a number of different things, depending on what the rest of the face is doing.” High eyebrows with open eyes and hollowed cheeks likely indicates fear. On the other hand, raising your eyebrows (arching) and smiling indicates happiness and interest. A short glance with eyes wide open and then back to normal shows surprise. At times people may arch their eyebrows to feign excitement or interest in what you’re saying, but it’s likely to look phony, says Alter. “Wide open eyes without a smile also comes across as fear.”

Eyes Glazed Over

If you tell a long, drawn-out story and see the listener’s eyes get a faraway “glazed over” look, they may have mentally checked out, says Navarro. “The brain needs to take a break and withdraw. They’re shutting down some of the input.” If they’re truly bored, their eyelids will start to droop and they’ll look disengaged, says Alter. “In other cases, they may half close their eyes because they’re uncomfortable with a situation and may be trying to hide.  If you’re on a date it’s a pretty clear sign the other party isn’t very interested.” Keep eyes wide open to anyone you want to impress because it’s a key issue and it takes stamina, suggests Alter.

Quoted from MSN