| Become a Behavioral Profiler | | | | the phone after an argument with a customer. |
| Learn to Tell the Truth from Lies | | | | Change the subject; talk about something relatively |
| By Carol Forsloff | | | | mundane. Then ask for the explanation about some |
| With everybody trying to sell you something, or | | | | part of the machine again, and watch to see if the |
| making promises, how do you tell what’s true | | | | behavior and the words you heard the first time are |
| and what’s false anymore? Do you just trust | | | | the same as what you first observed. |
| your instincts and hope for the best? Or are there | | | | |
| some clues you can use to decide what to do. Do | | | | Lies have certain attributes and mannerisms that |
| you believe the salesmen’s pitch about that | | | | often accompany them. Changes in speech patterns, |
| sewing machine or walk out shaking your head and | | | | to include softer, louder or different tones and |
| moving on to look for what you want somewhere | | | | pitches, repeating the question, using long pauses, or |
| else? Or maybe you have to hire someone for a | | | | a redundancy of flattering words can be that |
| very important job and want to go beyond the | | | | liar’s bag. Silence can also be used to deceive, so |
| printed resume to find out what you need to make | | | | don’t help the person along by filling in the |
| the right choice for a vacancy. There are some tricks | | | | silences. Allow the person to talk; he or she will often |
| of the behavioral profiling trade that can be applied to | | | | lead you straight to what you need to know. Eyes |
| helping you make decisions and avoid the traps that | | | | that blink too much, hands that fidget, feet that |
| liars set so often and that can keep you wondering | | | | move around, and a whole body that has trouble |
| who you can and cannot trust. | | | | being still are behavioral red flags that should be |
| | | | | observed at the same time. Watch how the person |
| Research shows that attempts to determine lies | | | | moves the eyes, up, down or to the side and |
| from truth through nonverbal and verbal behavior are | | | | whether or not the pattern is the same during small |
| correct only about 50% of the time while handwriting | | | | talk as well as during topics where a decision must be |
| analysis and polygraph tests have mixed and | | | | made. Watch the nonverbal signals, crossing the arms |
| sometimes controversial results. But using behavioral | | | | or the legs in a defensive posture or raising both |
| profiling principles allow investigators, and you, Joe | | | | arms and lowering them vigorously and repeatedly in |
| citizen, to be right much more often. Detectives use | | | | a defiant gesture while repeating words or phrases, |
| behavioral profiling techniques to help them figure out | | | | both of which are clues to potential behaviors and |
| whether or not some suspect is innocent or not. You | | | | what the person might be thinking when in that |
| can use them in your daily life to help make decisions | | | | proverbial “tight spot.” |
| about whether to move forward or not on a | | | | |
| relationship or to buy that product from some guy | | | | Just as establishing a baseline behavior will help guide |
| you just met and don’t know anything about. | | | | you in making the right decision about a person, you |
| | | | | can create an unusual event that can help you |
| Behavioral profiling requires that one look at a number | | | | determine how a given individual might behave under |
| of different aspects of a person to decide what | | | | stress. While interviewing Richard for that |
| type of behavior to expect or whether or not what | | | | administrative assistant position, toss him your keys |
| you see and hear is a lie or the truth. There’s | | | | and ask him to move your car someplace. Or give |
| something to that “trust your gut” feeling, | | | | Betty the assignment of turning off a computer on |
| but it’s not enough. You must look at a number | | | | the other side of the room right after you’ve |
| of behaviors over time to increase the value of a | | | | asked some relatively routine questions about her |
| profile. | | | | educational background. In each case observe what |
| | | | | happens next because that will tell you how Richard |
| First of all, you have to determine normal behavior | | | | or Betty will behave when confronted with the type |
| from unusual behavior for a given individual. In other | | | | of change that often occurs in a work environment. |
| words, just like a scientist does, a baseline has to be | | | | |
| established from which to proceed. Get that | | | | Handwriting by itself won’t tell you what the |
| salesman to talk about some ordinary event—the | | | | person is like or whether he/she might be lying. On |
| weather or sports. Watch the face, the hands, the | | | | the other hand, if all other signs indicate deceit, |
| gestures, and the way the eyes move when | | | | examine how the person signs his/her name and |
| speaking, the tone of the voice and inflections. Some | | | | match that against the baseline or body of writing. |
| people are typically outgoing; others aren’t. A | | | | The degree of difference or exaggeration can |
| little warm up talk will help you figure out what might | | | | suggest discrepancy between what the person |
| be typical and what’s not. | | | | appears to be and the person he/she really is. |
| | | | | |
| As you’re listening and watching, the first time | | | | Now you’re ready for your practice work. |
| you wonder whether you’ve heard a lie, think | | | | Don’t do this with your husband, wife or close |
| about what was said and the tone that was used. | | | | friend as practice. Just observe the people you |
| Then change the subject, and go back to the topic | | | | don’t ordinarily work or relate with, and use this |
| later. You do that because the lie will be accompanied | | | | information to make tentative choices or decisions. |
| by a combined set of behaviors that are repeated. | | | | Then come back later and check out your |
| Watch and listen for contradictions between the | | | | hypothesis. The more practice you have, the better |
| topic, how it is discussed, the behavior and | | | | you’ll get. And that will help you avoid traps that |
| what’s going on at the same time a story is told. | | | | can interfere with your moving ahead to what you |
| The fellow who sounds irritated while showing the | | | | need or want to do. |
| sewing machine at the outset may have just got off | | | | |