Deceptive Communication

Most aspects of human communication can lead to misapprehension simply because there is no single way of interpreting a communication. There are subtle mechanisms that can lead to vastly different interpretations and without appropriate context there is no way to rule out one or another. Although in normal conversation this is problematic, in deceptive communication this is a desired attribute. Considering whether communication is deceptive or not depends on the view point, and the intentions behind the communication, which are often difficult to ascertain.
Deceptive communication has different forms and is serving different purposes. Concealment, exaggeration, equivocation, half-truths, misdirection, pretense (or irony, which relies on similar linguistic patterns), can all be considered types of deceptive communication. Pretense mechanisms may be implicated in a number of other mental processes like counterfactual reasoning or attribution in mind-reading skills. While intentional deceptive communication is deliberately attempting to conceal, unintentional deception occurs depending on a number of factors based on lack of context and equivocation resulting in confusion and misunderstandings.
The use of negations has been identified as a behavioral indicator of deception in human communication. As this cue is usually not perceived as signaling deceptive communication, using non-committal and ambiguous negations, are a most effective linguistic deception device (e.g. ?I wasn?t sure?, ?I don?t know?, ?I couldn?t tell?).
Deceptive communication is rated most effective and credible when it includes equivocal negations, despite it causing more confusion, misunderstandings, and difficulty in comprehension.

Role of Deception in Interpersonal Communication

The use of deceptive messages is a communication strategy that, unlike using messages created by other methods, relies on creating or perpetuating false impressions upon other people. Normally, we are encouraged to


Communicate in a clear and accurate manner to help get our message across.


Categorizing deceptive acts is not an exact science, and different researchers have come up with different classifications over the years, from broad to more specific. Deception is generally divided into five categories: fabrication, exaggeration, half-truths, omissions, and misdirection. Fabrication is conveying false information to cover up the truth. Exaggeration includes embellishing and distorting details and overstating the message with unnecessary points. Half-truths refer to acts where the deceiver controls the information so that only part of the truth was revealed, or the information is a mix of both fiction and truth. Omission is a deliberate evasion of the truth, done by remaining silent when asked about something known. Misdirection tries to change the topic so that the deceiver can avoid telling the truth or even the effort of creating a lie. Letting the receiver draw the wrong conclusion is also a component of misdirection.


Because of the wide variety of actions available, a person trying to deceive another doesn't need to predetermine which method he will be using. The first step in deception is to determine whether it is acceptable or necessary at the present time. It is only when a person has chosen to go ahead with the deception that he chooses what deception to use. Personal habits, preference for a certain method, situational factors, and relation factors all influence what the person will do next.


Time is also an important element in the act of deception. Most such acts aren't planned beforehand. When the deceiver has little time to prepare, or is being directly questioned, he is more likely to choose a lie. A better-prepared deceiver might choose a strategy that combines both omission and misdirection instead.