Eyes:
- Gazing at uniform, weapons, or paperwork
Fixating on source of stress or authority
- Cut-off (gaze aversion)
Looking away quickly after a lie or when stress source is mentioned. May look away at sight of authority.
- Looking at escape routes
Will "accidentally" or instinctively look "both ways" or over the shoulder
- Tearing
Eyes well up for protection, ready to flush debris. Tears flow from eyes to nose (audible sniff) and also activate upper lip salivary glands.
- Rapid eye blinking
Because tears are more plentiful, subject must blink to keep vision clear.
- Forceful blinking
Uses almost entire face to blink
- Pupil dilation
Obvious dilation; lets in more light and "information"
Vocal:
- Repeating phrases or saying "What?"
Buying time to lie. Not fully understanding what is being said because brain is becoming instinctive
- Randomly offering information
Time perception is becoming very fast, so quiet moments must be filled
- Solidifying (over emphasis)
Attempting to convince, rather than merely conveying information
- Minimizing
Lying "by omission"
- Strained voice
Vocal cords tightening from muscular stress
- Raised octaves and volume
Tight vocal cords need more air
- Rapid speech
Time perception is faster, so speech to an unstimulated person is faster
Cognitive:
- Difficulty with divided attention
Easily distracted, hesitant to comply, repeating phrases, saying, "What?" before answering
- Randomly offering information
Mental time perception becomes extremely fast and pauses compel person to speak
Proxemics:
- Standing too close
Approaching within an arm and a half distance
- Standing too far away
Moving away, outside an arm and a half distance
- Not reactive to proxemics
Not cognizant of your reaction to subject being too close or too far away
- Not reacting to third party
When a third party approaches, subject does not react, i.e. subject does not look, use inclusive gestures, or position self at an angle toward approaching third party
Facial Movements:
- Out of place “emotional” response
Smiling or grinning, surprised when not appropriate
- “Fear smile”
A "straight" smile. No movement on the upper face. Look for lower teeth.
- Tense brow (lowering)
Look for scowl lines between eyebrows. Brow covering upper eye lid.
- Pursed lips
Tightening of the mouth around teeth. Look for wrinkles on upper lip especially.
- “Numb face”
Lack of total emotion or general movement of the face. An attempt to mask true expression, or preemptive attempt.
Body Posture:
- Lowering center of gravity
Separating the feet, flexing the knees
- Boxer’s stance, torso rotation
Strong side will be to rear, front hand is the jab hand for setting range
- Limbering up; subtle neck, leg back stretch
Look for subconscious muscle tension relief, less blood/high fibrinogens
- Rocking back and forth, or side to side
Subconscious clue to desire to strike or run; impatient
- Acting “natural”
Over animated, exaggerated (muscle) movements
- Clenching jaw
Muscle tension in cheeks, jaw. Sometimes quivering
- Distraction
Looking away or "uninterested"; watching moving objects
- Hesitation to comply
Seemingly not able to understand or hear (switching to instinctive mode)
Body Function:
- Cotton mouth, cannot clear throat
Lack of saliva in mouth and throat; digestion is stopped/stopping
- “Trauma water”
Subconscious attempt to provide relief from above
- Increased respiration
Body's attempt to pre-oxygenate for impending activity
- Yawning
Stall tactic or instinctive forced respiration during stress
- Sweating
Body's attempt to pre-cool for impending activity
- Paleness
Visible loss of blood in extremities; prep for trauma
- Visible rapid pulse
Visible hypertension and tachycardia
- Body tremors
Adrenalin induced over-corrections
- Goose bumps
Piloerection. Stress induced follicle muscle stimulation
Hand Movements:
- Exaggerated gestures
Over-exaggerating normal movements; trying to convince
- Rubbing neck, shoulder, face or hands
Relieving subconscious tension from lack of blood and increased fibrinogens, sometimes a comforting gesture (psychological)
- Scratching or touching nose or ears
Piloerection of nasal and ear canal hairs causing subconscious discomfort
- Hands clenched
Hands tightly balled or the "anti-fist" hand movements
- Grooming gestures
Fixing hair (even if there is none), jacket, clothes. Removing hat or turning backward. Adjusting or removing jewelry. Cleaning fingernails (with other fingers or teeth).