Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC3115: 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 a significant understanding of the types of social science research into deception
Discipline-Specific Skills3. Draw substantiated thematic comparisons between material from different sources;
4. Present research, policy debates and your own arguments in an articulate and comprehensive manner;
5. Develop conceptually-based arguments grounded in theoretical frameworks;
Personal and Key Skills6. Present an argument orally in an effective and persuasive manner;
7. Critically evaluate own work and those of others;
8. Demonstrate substantial collaborative skills, e.g. 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 Galasi��ski, 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).