LYING & DECEPTION

(07310)
M.L. Knapp, Professor
Fall, 1999
SPE 367
2-3:30, TTH
CMA 3.112

INFORMATION:

SCHEDULE

Th Aug 26 - Course and instructor introductions. Assignments. Overview. Communication perspective. Exercise.

Tu Aug 31 - The Nature of Lies. ( Read: Nyberg, l, 2, & 3)

Th Sept 2 - The Nature of Truth. (Read: "What is Reality?" handout) (View video on reserve in CMA 5.114, "Eyewitness Testimony," 22 min)

Tu Sept 7 - Ethical Perspectives. (Read: Nyberg, 10 and R.C. Solomon, "Is It Ever Right to Lie? The Philosophy of Deception" Chronicle of Higher Education, 1998, handout) (View 1 of 2 videos on reserve in CMA 5.ll4 from the Ethics in America Series entitled: "Public Trust, Private Interests" or "Truth on Trial," 1 hr ea.)

Th Sept 9 - Ethical Perspectives. In class video: "Communicating values to children," l3 min. (View video, "Book of Virtues- Honesty" in CMA 5.ll4, 23 min.)

Tu Sept 14 - Children: As Liars and Targets of Lies. (Read: Nyberg, 8) In class video: "Michael Lewis' work on children and lying," 6 min.

Th Sept 16 - Children: As Witnesses in Court.

Tu Sept 21 - Nonhuman and Early Human Deception. (View video, "Deception by animals & insects" in CMA 5.114, approx. 1 hr.)

Th Sept 23 - Performing Deception: With Oneself. (Read: Nyberg, 5), Review for Exam #1

Tu Sept 28 - Examination #l (Covers all material to date)

Th Sept 30 - Performing Deception: With Others (Guest: Peter The Adequate, Magician)

Tu Oct 5 - Performing Deception: With Others. (Read: Nyberg, 4,6,7)

Th Oct 7 - Performing Deception: With Others. In class video: "Should we always tell the truth to our relational partners?" 6 min.

Tu Oct 12 - Pathological Liars and Personality Profiles of Habitual Liars.

Th Oct 14 - Living A Lie: Cons, Imposters, & Hoaxes. In class videos: "Irish travelers," l0 min. ; "Media hoaxster Joey Scaggs," l8 min.; and "Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy," 22 min. (View the movie, "House of Games," about an hour and a half, in CMA 5.ll4 and EITHER 1) 60 Minutes' Retrospective on "Con Artists," about 40 min. OR 2) "Unmasking the Secrets of Deception" which deals with crop circles, psychic surgery, etc. also about 40 min.--both in CMA 5.114.

Tu Oct 19 - Lie Detection. Accuracy, Cues Used, & Errors. (Read: Ekman, l,2,3,4,5,6,8,9) In class videos: "'Expert' Jan Hargrove," 5 min. ; "Expert Paul Ekman," l2 min.; "Desmond Morris' case studies of a woman accused of stealing, poker players, and smilers," 6 min. Practice Your Own Skills on the "Interpersonal Perception Test." (View video, "Lies and How to Spot Them," about 46 minutes, in CMA 5.114)

Th Oct 21 - Lie Detection. Strategies. Police Interrogations (Read: Nyberg pp.185-88).
Optional: Check out the following lie detection websites:
http://polyscan.co.za/index.html
http://dontlie.com/index.html
http://unipress.com/truster/

Tu Oct 26 - Lie Detection. Polygraphs and Integrity Tests. (Read Ekman, 7) In class videos: "Polygraph and sex offender," 6 min.; "Polygraph use in a rape case," ll min.; Time permitting, "Polygraphs with Marcia Clark." (View "Liar: Deception in Society" 50 min. in CMA 5.114) Review for Exam #2.

Th Oct 28 - Examination #2 (Covers all material since last exam)

Tu Nov 2 - Public Lies. (Read Ekman, 10) (View video on reserve in CMA 5.ll4, "The Truth About Lies," 56 min. ) In class video: "Born leaders are also good liars," 6 min.

Th Nov 4 - Public Lies. In class video: "Doublespeak," 30 min. Exercise: Practicing Your Ability to "Spin." Knapp will be in Chicago.

Tu Nov 9 - Lying and Deception in the Legal Profession (Read Perlmutter, Chapter 1) (Guest: Mark Perlmutter, Attorney & Author of Why Lawyers (and the rest of us) Lie)

Th Nov 11 - Deceptive Journalism: Recent Case Studies of Reporters Writing False Stories.

Tu Nov 16 - Deceptive Journalism: Hidden Cameras and Lying to Get a Story. In class video: "ABC vs. Food Lion," 40 min.

Th Nov 18 - Deceptive Advertising of Products & Deceptive Advertising of Ourselves. In class video: "Does truth in advertising apply to personal ads?" 6 min.
Optional: View video movie, "Crazy People" (1990) with Dudley Moore.

Tu Nov 23 - Deceptive Advertising of Ourselves. In class videos: "Job applicants lie on resumes," 6 min. and "People who lie about their HIV status," 6 min.

Th Nov 30 - The New Technologies: Credibility, Fact & Fiction. (Guest: Richard Lewis, Professor & Documentary Producer) In class video: "The making of the JFK handshake in Forrest Gump," 30 min. Slides. (View Video in CMA 5.114, "Fake TV Documentaries" about 13 min.)

Tu Dec 2 - The New Technologies: Credibility, Fact & Fiction. In class video:"Credibility on the Internet," l2 min. The Case of Flight #800. Course &Instructor Evaluation. Review for Exam #3.

Examination #3, Friday, December 10, 2-5:00 pm.