Liar: The Truth About Lying

(Paperback)

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Discover the truth about the huge - and sometimes even positive - role lying plays in our lives Ever told someone they looked 'great' when they really looked awfulEver said you'd be 'there in a second' ... knowing it would be more like five minutesEver made up an excuse to get out of a difficult situationOr claimed that you never told liesNeverLiar!But don't feel bad - we all tell lies, all the time. Two to three times in a ten-minute conversation is the average according to the latest research. From the 'white lies' that help smooth over tricky social situations to lies told with intent to harm, lying plays a huge - and crucial - role in our society at every level.Drawing on mindboggling examples of real-life liars who were caught in the act as well as years of research into deception, Robert Feldman, one of the world's leading authorities in the field, reveals the truth about why we lie, including how children learn to do it, what it costs us, how we benefit and how it can fail with catastrophic consequences.

Reviews

An enjoyable overview of social-science research on lying and its necessity * Guardian *
Lays out in stark terms just how prevalent lying has become * Time magazine *

Author Bio

Robert S Feldman, PhD, is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. He is an Associate Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has written over one hundred books, book chapters and scientific articles, and his psychology textbooks have sold over one million copies and have been translated into numerous languages.