Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC2115: Deception

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

Deception aims to enhance your ability to think independently, express your ideas through written and oral arguments, and respond to other people’s views in a seminar environment.  It also exposes you to an issue that is challenging and controversial in many ways, and cross-disciplinary by nature. Deception aims to:

  • Provide you with the opportunity to develop confidence and skills to apply social science theories and concepts to pressing contemporary issues;
  • Foster your ability to assembly, critique, and interpret factual information;
  • Offer a stimulating approach to understanding the intersection of politics, technology, society and culture. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Critically evaluate different sources of information about deception, including their place within disciplinary and public debates.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the types of social science research into deception
Discipline-Specific Skills3. Draw substantiated thematic comparisons between material from different sources;
4. Clearly present research, policy debates and your own arguments;
5. Offer conceptually-based arguments grounded in theoretical frameworks;
Personal and Key Skills6. Present an argument orally in a clear and organized manner;
7. Evaluate own work and those of others;
8. Demonstrate collaborative skills, including the presentation and discussion of material in groups.
9. Work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Basic readings:

Michael Pettit,The Science of Deception: Psychology and Commerce in America (Chicago: University of Chicago Press 2013).

James Ball, Post-truth: How Bullshit Conquered the World (London: Biteback 2017). 

Harry Frankfurt On Bullshit (London: Princeton University Press 2005).

Brian Martin, The Deceptive Activist (Sparsnäs, Sweden: Irene Publishing, 2017).

Paul Ekman, Telling Lies: Clues to Deceit in the Marketplace, Politics, and Marriage (New York: Norton, 1985/2009).

F. G. Bailey, The Prevalence of Deceit (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991).

Dan Ariely, The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone — Especially Ourselves (New York:HarperCollins, 2012).

J. A. Barnes, A Pack of Lies: Towards a Sociology of Lying (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994).

Dariusz Galasinski, The Language of Deception: A Discourse Analytical Study (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage,2000).

Jon Latimer, Deception in War (London: John Murray, 2001).

Steven Poole, Unspeak™ (London: Little, Brown, 2006).

David Shulman, From Hire to Liar: The Role of Deception in the Workplace (Ithaca, NY: ILR Press, 2007).

Aldert Vrij, Detecting Lies and Deceit: Pitfalls and Opportunities, 2nd edition (Chichester, West Sussex: JohnWiley & Sons, 2008).