Early Signs of Lying: The Orientation Freeze Response (OFR)
“I want to know when someone is lying to me.” Almost everyone who has ever been deceived has thought this at some point. It makes sense: understanding when someone is distorting the truth helps you avoid wasting your time, energy, and resources. Instead of feeling the sting of disappointment after being tricked, you can prevent lies from taking root in the first place.
We encounter lies every day—sometimes big and bitter, sometimes small and harmless.
- “Is your bread fresh?”
- Pause. “Yes, it’s from today.”
This situation is familiar to many. At first glance, there’s nothing unusual, but what about that pause before the answer? Let’s break it down.
Imagine you have a lecture scheduled, you arrive at the university, enter the classroom, and at the last moment, the professor decides to change the plan and hold a seminar instead. The first person they call on is you. In that moment, you freeze, your breathing stops for a second, and you quickly assess the situation and your readiness for this unexpected change. This is the “freeze point,” when we evaluate a stimulus and decide how to respond.
When you ask someone a question and, for some reason, they can’t tell you the truth, they start thinking about how to answer. This thinking time creates a pause. In profiling, this phenomenon is called the Orientation Freeze Response (OFR) (in Russian, ТОЗ).
What Happens During the OFR?
During the OFR, the person evaluates the context and situation. They’re at a crossroads, deciding whether to adapt by telling the truth or by lying. This is the moment of decision. Remember, lying is always a conscious choice.
It’s important to note that if you notice an orientation freeze, the person may still choose to tell the truth or to lie. The OFR is a first red flag for detecting deception, but it’s not a 100% indicator of lying. It simply shows that the person paused to consider how to respond.
This seemingly small detail is actually very important. Noticing this pause gives you the opportunity to ask follow-up questions.
How Does the OFR Manifest?
- Increased muscle tension: The person becomes tense for a moment.
- Longer response time: There’s a noticeable pause between the end of your question and the start of their answer. To gauge what’s normal for someone, ask a simple, unimportant question before your main one (e.g., “Do you have any pets?”).
- Instant freezing: The person seems to freeze for a brief moment—their gaze, movements, and even breathing may stop.
The duration of the orientation freeze can vary from person to person. Sometimes it’s just milliseconds; other times, it’s a longer pause. Experienced liars may try to mask the OFR by taking a sip of water, making a joke, asking you to repeat or clarify your question—anything to buy themselves a little more time to think.
Of course, this is just one sign, and you can’t determine if someone is lying based on this alone. But it’s important to learn to spot these red flags. At first, it will require more focus, but over time, it will become a habit and you’ll start noticing OFRs automatically.
To develop this skill, we recommend you practice spotting OFRs while watching movies, TV shows, or during conversations with friends, colleagues, and others.