UMass Boston

Lying & Deception

Course #: COMM 335, Class #: 9872, Section #: 01

Description

Deception occurs in communication behavior across species and lying (i.e., intentional deception) is a pervasive phenomenon in human communication. This course explores the varieties of deceptive communication, their causes and consequences in a wide range of contexts (advertising, art, interspecies contact, family and romantic relationships, journalism, mass media, politics, etc.), and the strategies used to detect their occurrence (behavioral cues, interrogations, integrity testing, polygraphs, etc.). Examines the nature of lying and deception, truth, and various ethical perspectives associated with truth telling and deception.