Lying and deception detection in television families |
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| Authors: | Michelle A Mazur Pamela J Kalbfleisch |
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| Institution: | 1. Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech , University of Hawaii , Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822;2. Professor and Director of the School of Communications , University of North Dakota , Box 7169, Grand Forks, ND, 58202‐7169 |
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| Abstract: | This study explores the use of lying and lie‐detection among television families in situation comedies. The findings indicate that (a) lying was prevalent on these television shows; (b) lies to spare others were told most frequently; (c) the majority of lies went undetected; (d) the husband/father character told the most lies; (e) children were the most honest characters in situation comedies and (f) peripheral characters were the recipients of many lies. Two conclusions were drawn from these findings. First, this study gives insight into the content of family communication as presented on television. Secondly', the study suggests television families mirror real families with respect to family structure and the ability to detect deception. |
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| Keywords: | Content Analysis Cultivation Heuristic Processing Learning and Construction Reality Estimation Television |
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