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How your body language can betray your white lie

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‘A to Z About Body Language’ is a tell-all book revealing the science of body language as told by an expert on the subject.

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Free Malaysia Today
“A to Z About Body Language” is the book to read for anyone yearning to learn more about how to understand people and their body language better. (Noel Wong pic)

PETALING JAYA:
Genuine honesty is difficult to come by these days. In fact, it is not uncommon to chance upon people who misplace their trust and end up being taken for granted.

That being said, there are certain indicators one can rely on to decode the odd lie and deception, especially through the use of body language. This is what the book “A to Z About Body Language” is all about.

In essence, it explains the science of body language and how to navigate these often sticky situations.

Authored by Jackson Yogarajah, the eye-opening book presents the sophisticated inner workings of body language in a simple and direct manner. Yogarajah himself is a master of the field, having studied body language since the late 1970s.

“I started off after graduating from Universiti Malaya,” he said when contacted by FMT.

As an insurance sales agent, reading a client’s body language was something of a skill he had developed early on. In fact, his fellow colleagues were interested in learning from him, but at the time, easily accessible information was scarce.

And so, Jackson spent hours scouring through rows upon rows of body language literature at libraries. Needless to say, his dedication has paid off, judging by the list of his personal accolades on the subject.

Free Malaysia Today
Jackson Yogarajah (in suit) has been involved in training military personnel in the field of deception detection. (JBL International pic)

In 2005, he became the first-ever Malaysian to address the United Kingdom Centre for Forensic Neuroscience on the subject of deception detection.

Additionally, he has conducted numerous training modules for police, navy and military intelligence personnel, all to help them hone their investigative skills.

With more time on his hands due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns, Yogarajah was thus inspired to write this book.

“I wanted to share my knowledge and that inspired me to document my 30 years of experience into a book, which took me less than a year to complete.”

The book consists of two halves. The first deals with the science of body language, while the second half discusses the inescapable warning signs of body language to look out for.

While it might sound like a dry topic for most, Jackson does well to keep his readers engaged by using contemporary events to captivate his readers.

The second chapter, for example, discusses the disappearance of MH370 and how deciphering body language might help investigations. Despite the many facts and figures thrown at the reader, the chapter is written with such clarity and conciseness.

And while it is difficult to determine if Jackson’s interpretation of the missing plane is correct, his arguments are nonetheless compelling enough to be plausible.

The later chapters also discuss the subtleties of everyday body language and how the human body speaks way before a person’s lips even move.

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Jackson poses with former auditor-general, Ambrin Buang, during a course on fraud prevention. (JBL International pic)

Chapter 10 – How to Catch a Liar – is probably the cream of the crop, given that it focuses on an intriguing topic altogether.

From identifying warning signs and possibilities of being scammed, to the types of liars and how to uncover the truth, the chapter is thoroughly engaging. Lawyers, teachers, investigators, parents and spouses will appreciate the nuggets of truth found in this chapter.

Jackson believes that no matter how skilled a liar may be, their body language will betray their deception one way or another.

“Lies are a true or irrefutable statement made to convince the accuser so as to influence his perception, rather than convey information that addresses the facts of the case,” he explained.

If you have doubts about a loved one’s honesty, Jackson provides simple advice.

“Always confirm your doubts with further questioning; the question is not just if someone is lying to you – it is also, why are they untruthful?”

As he explained, life is complicated and there may be legitimate reasons why a loved one or friend may not be truthful to you.

In any case, “A to Z About Body Language” is a long but engaging read that will leave readers pondering their own body language.

Should you want to learn more about yourself and people in general, this book is certainly worth your weekend reading time.

“A to Z About Body Language” is available on Shopee, local bookstores and Jackson’s website. Alternatively, you can contact him directly at 012-6721404 or drop him an email at jacksonbodylanguage@gmail.com.

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