"How to Spot a Liar"

In today’s world, we’re surrounded by deception whether through social media, politics or the workplace. In Pamela Meyer’s Ted Talk “How to Spot a Liar,” she discusses with her audience he mannerisms and “hot spots,” or cues, most commonly used by those who deceive. To begin, Pamela used Bill Clinton as an example for verbal dodging. Verbal dodging is when someone who is unscripted uses formal, firm word choices and distances him or herself from the accused subject of the lie. When discussing “hot spots” or cues, Meyer listed many habits of those who deceive including those who “pepper” or elaborate their story, inability to tell a story in non-chronological order, duping delight, head-shakes, and expressions of contempt. Even though there is an ample amount of technology available to the world to detect liars, a trained professional or even a person like you could easily detect them as well.

With the amount of technology available today, I find it rather disturbing how easily we, as a nation, rely on it. Pamela Meyer provided statistical evidence multiple times within her Ted Talk that backed this statement up. I found Meyer’s Ted Talk very informative, light-heart, and quite humorous. She used political figures as comic relief throughout the talk that made it very easy to watch and kept my attention. When watching the news or talking to someone I believe is lying, I now use knowledge acquired from Meyer to read into their mannerisms and cues. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar