Deception In The Marketplace: The Psychology of Deceptive Persuasion and Consumer Self-Protection [Paperback]

"A remarkable piece of work. Thought provoking and illuminating. This will be an influential book, critical for anyone studying marketplace deception. It will stretch your mind." - Jennifer Aaker, Stanford University, USA

"Consumers today are inundated at every turn by complex and subtle forms of marketplace deception that they are ill-prepared to detect or deflect. This book by three of the most reputed scholars on persuasion is not only timely, but also thorough, insightful, and practical. It broadens and deepens the concept of marketplace deception through its review of relevant social science, while it also extends and specifies the range of skills that consumers of all ages must acquire to safeguard their best self-interests. This book should be must-reading for ethical leaders in professional marketing associations, for regulators and policy administrators, and for educators of the next generations of consumers." - David Glen Mick, University of Virginia, USA

"Like any other powerful tool, marketing can be used for good or evil. The authors paint a vivid picture of the dark side of marketing. Persuaders who prey on vulnerable populations such as children and seniors have remained hidden while wielding their arsenal of marketing weapons. This book pulls them out of the shadows by describing their shapes, forms, and tactics." - Punam Anand Keller, Dartmouth University, USA

"We know that deception in the marketplace exists. Now, Boush, Friestad, and Wright have provided us with a very thorough treatise on the topic. Most books that take on a discussion of a controversial topic present only the problem. These authors move the discussion forward with important insights as to how the consumer can begin to undertake self-protection against marketplace deception. It is both theory and research driven. It is thoughtful, stimulating and well written." - David W. Schumann, University of Tennessee, USA

"The authors masterfully illustrate that deceptive advertising and marketing are not just a matter of lying to consumers but can take many forms. Deception in the Marketplace would make a good supplement to a persuasion or marketing class, especially in the way it relates various theories and previous research specifically to deceptive persuasion...the book is a very well-written call for more research on both the deceptive persuasion and how to teach consumers, young and old, to defend against efforts at deception across a variety of media." - PsycCRITIQUES, Eddie M. Clark, Vol. 54, Release 41, Article 2

This is the first scholarly book to fully address the topics of the psychology of deceptive persuasion in the marketplace and consumer self-protection. Deception permeates the American marketplace. Deceptive marketing harms consumers’ health, welfare and financial resources, reduces people’s privacy and self-esteem, and ultimately undermines trust in society. Individual consumers must try to protect themselves from marketers’ misleading communications by acquiring personal marketplace deception-protection skills that go beyond reliance on legal or regulatory protections. Understanding the psychology of deceptive persuasion and consumer self-protection should be a central goal for future consumer behavior research.

The authors explore these questions. What makes persuasive communications misleading and deceptive? How do marketing managers decide to prevent or practice deception in planning their campaigns? What skills must consumers acquire to effectively cope with marketers’ deception tactics? What does research tell us about how people detect, neutralize and resist misleading persuasion attempts? What does research suggest about how to teach marketplace deception protection skills to adolescents and adults?

Chapters cover theoretical perspectives on deceptive persuasion; different types of deception tactics; how deception-minded marketers think; prior research on how people cope with deceptiveness; the nature of marketplace deception protection skills; how people develop deception protection skills in adolescence and adulthood; prior research on teaching consumers marketplace deception protection skills; and societal issues such as regulatory frontiers, societal trust, and consumer education practices.

This unique book is intended for scholars and researchers. It should be essential reading for upper level and graduate courses in consumer behavior, social psychology, communication, and marketing. Marketing practitioners and marketplace regulators will find it stimulating and authoritative, as will social scientists and educators who are concerned with consumer welfare.