What It Means: Throat clearing indicates uncertainty or readying your voice to speak, even if you don't want to. Look for this cue during conversations, as this could mean the other person is waiting for their speaking turn—this is a great tip if you're a constant rambler.
Frequent throat clearing can sometimes signal an underlying health issue. Some possible causes include nasal allergies, acid reflux, vocal cord growths, and tic disorders. If this symptom is persistent or bothersome, seeing a doctor can help.
The throat-clear in paralanguage is a nonverbal vibration of the vocal cords caused by a sudden, involuntary release of air pressure from the lungs. In a formal gathering or conference, a listener's unwitting throat-clear may suggest disagreement, anxiety, or doubt.
Chronically or excessively clearing your throat, such as constantly feeling like you have a frog in your throat, can be a symptom of anxiety disorder, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and others.
Throat-clearing is a stress response related to "fight or flight", according to Psychology Today. Although clearing their throat isn't a tell-tale sign of lying, it could indicate that someone is being less than truthful.
Paralanguage. The deliberately executed throat-clearing is a nonverbal, paralingual form of metacommunication. A loud, exaggerated throat-clearing noise may sometimes be used to get attention; as in the case of a parent signaling to a child that they should behave.
Turns out blushing doesn't just happen when you're embarrassed! Some people, often women, tend to blush when they're lying. Blushing is an involuntary reflex caused by the sympathetic nervous system, and is a response to the release of adrenaline.
Dr. Kendall: I recommend substituting the response with a throat clear with something other than a throat clear, such as a hard swallow, a sip of water, chewing gum, or even snapping a rubber band on the wrist.
Two of the most common causes of frequent throat clearing are laryngopharyngeal reflux, or LPR, and seasonal allergies, explains Song. Reflux from the stomach, which may or may not be acidic, comes up through the esophagus and into the back of the throat, where it can irritate the voice box.
Chronic phlegm and throat clearing is a common symptom of chronic stress, including the stress caused by anxious behavior.
Mechanism. Throat-clearing is a sound made at the back of the throat. It is articulated as a single-syllable exclamation, written onomatopoeiacally as "hem"; or it may be articulated as a double-syllable sound, written as "ahem", which is expressed by inhaling slightly and then exhaling more forcibly.
When it comes to detecting lies, people often focus on body language “tells,” or subtle physical and behavioral signs that reveal deception. For example, shrugging, lack of expression, a bored posture, and grooming behaviors such as playing with hair or pressing fingers to lips can give away a person who is lying.
The direction of their eyes: A 2012 study published in Plos One debunked the myth people look to the left when lying. A study by the University of Michigan found when participants lied, they maintained eye contact 70% of the time.
Facial expression is the most noticeable aspect of non-verbal communication. Without a doubt, the most common—and telling—nonverbal means of communication is through facial expressions. Human faces are able to make more than 10,000 different expressions, and each one articulates volumes of information with ease.
Nonverbal Communication Types
Facial expressions. Gestures. Paralinguistics (such as loudness or tone of voice) Body language.
When people lie and they are confronted with evidence that contradicts those lies, they may change their story or deny the truth altogether. They may also try to manipulate others to maintain their false story. Blaming others for their lies. They may try to deflect blame or shift responsibility onto others.
Itching and fidgeting: Rocking the body back and forth, cocking the head to the side or shuffling the feet can also be signs of deception, says Glass, who completed a post-doctoral fellowship at UCLA focusing on Psychology and Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication.
Watch facial expressions When people are in the middle of a lie their facial expressions may show you. Look for flared nostrils, lip biting, rapid blinking or sweating. These changes in facial activity signify an increase in brain activity as a lie begins.
Tightened jaw and forehead
Liars also tend to tense up when they're not being truthful, and this can include tightening the jaw and forehead. Both are connected to the "mental effort and stress" associated with telling a lie, according to Wenner.
Noisy breathing is typically caused by a partial blockage or narrowing at some point in the airways (respiratory tract). This can occur in the mouth or nose, in the throat, in the larynx (voice box), in the trachea (breathing tube), or further down into the lungs.
ahem. / (əˈhɛm) / interjection. a clearing of the throat, used to attract attention, express doubt, etc.