Duped: Truth-Default Theory and the Social Science of Lying and Deception

In his book, “Talking to Strangers” Malcolm Gladwell cited Dr. Levine as a main source for one of the topics Mr. Gladwell covered (mainly, why human beings are so bad at detecting lies) and recommended “Duped” as the ultimate guide in terms of understanding this phenomenon.The book lives up to that billing. I can’t imagine a book containing more research than this in order to prove a theory, in this case, Dr. Levine’s “Truth-Default Theory.”It rates 5-Stars because the author did what is promised.On a personal level, and as a layperson rather than a researcher, I was hoping for a book that I’d be able to read with a comfortable mixture of research and conclusions about this very important topic. However, what I found was that it contained about 90 percent research and how the experiments were conducted and about 10 percent information and conclusions. It was frustrating to me (again, it could certainly just be me!) and I found myself trying to skim through the text without missing the extremely helpful points and conclusions that showed up from time-to-time.Still, the 10 percent were gems, and I’m extremely grateful to Dr. Levine for the immense amount of work he has done in making this information available to the world.I also respect the fact that he is a humble man, very quick to give credit to those with whom he has worked, to his mentors, and those who’ve provided their assistance to him in his research. And, it is very admirable how when he disagrees with another researcher’s findings he does so in a kind and respectful manner.When it comes down to it, I guess I was looking to know what time it is and what I read consisted much more about how to make the watch.Nonetheless, eventually he shared what time it is...and it was well worth the wait!Thank you Dr. Levine!

This is a must read for scholars and laypeople alike. The groundwork and research are presented in an almost impenetrably logical fashion. This is excellent scholarship, covering every step, including his own critiques of his works and thinking. Even sharing his own snap moment when he was a professor at the University of Hawaii and a first year graduate student challenged his work to such a degree, that it made him radically reexamine his line of research. I know few scholars of his caliber that would have a mind open enough to listen to a first year graduate student, and none that would have the confidence to enshrine the experience in writing. Imagine a full professor in the Harvard School of law being challenged about a basic interpretation of the law that they had always held by a first year law student on the first day of class, and that professor saying, “My god you’re right!” and then giving credit to said student.This book is challenging to the most dedicated communication scholar, but written in such an approachable style that anyone with a curiosity in deception, communication or fundamental human nature will love it. It is written in the first person and has a strong autobiographical feel. Dr. Levine opens himself up as a person and a scholar in these pages and invites the reader to “ping-pong” (see chapter seven) with him. Not only does he reveal his own brilliance, but makes the reader feel that much more brilliant for having read the book. The reader becomes his partner and is encouraged to play along as he guides the journey.I can write something for an audience or scholars, I can write for an audience to students and I can write for general readership. What I can’t do is do all three at the same time, which exactly what is done here. Read this book.Oh and don’t skip the footnotes, there is a little wry subversiveness waiting for you there!

According the the vast majority of research, people are only slightly better than chance at detecting lying. Why is this? Should that have been an important ability for evolution to provide us with? The author shows that using as a default that people are telling the truth (truth-bias) is not a naive assumption to make, but one that is essential to everyday living. Bottom line: most people are not lying most of the time. If we are suspicious of everyone, everyday society breaks down.This is not a book for the intelligent layperson, but it could be. As a social psychologist, I studied it, not just read it. I underlined and put questions in the margins, etc. Massive amounts of data are contained in it and only professionals will be interested.But if one skips all of that and just reads the conclusions of the research, it could be a fairly quick and informative read. Mainly, it will change all of your opinions about detecting lying.Why is it dynamite? It just blows other theories out of the arena with study after study supporting his theory and disconfirming other theories. It blows out of the arena all the things we thought were important to detecting lying and other types of deception: We cannot rely on old cues such as shifty eyes. They just don't work.But accuracy in lie detection can be improved, and the author shows how.This book is a classic which should last for many years as a text on how to do research in just about any area of psychology, though that is not its primary intent.

Duped is a comprehensive and approachable magnum opus on deception research: why and how often we lie, how our intuitions about deception are often wrong, and how we might become better evaluators of the truth. Enjoy learning from one of the foremost experts on deception to understand the current evidence on truth, trust, and deception detection.

Everything you think you know about deception is wrong.how can you tell when someone is lying?how many times do you think you were lied to today?are some people better at spotting liars than other people?What are some of the "tells" liars have?now take all those answers and re-read my first statement above. then read this fascinating book by Dr. Timothy Levine. it will open your eyes and blow your mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first part almost lost me in the percentages and numbers, but push past this and you will not be disappointed. In the end you will see how those earlier chapters are a necessary evil.Timothy takes you with him on his journey of discovery of TDT. And when the results came in, I wanted to cheer along with them.