Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Yay Or Nay? A Media Analysis Of How Deception Is Utilized As A Leadership Tactic In The Television Show Sons Of Anarchy, Bruce T. Lanigan

Theses and Dissertations

Deception is a tactic that is seen by individuals on a daily basis. One of the places most people endure deception is in the workplace. This thesis analyzes how leaders utilize deception in the workplace through the television show Sons of Anarchy. Throughout the show, both transformational and transactional leadership styles are present. Various story arcs portraying deceptive actions will be analyzed through the lenses of leader-member exchange theory and interpersonal deception theory. This thesis reveals that transformational leaders utilize deception more effectively, while transactional leaders use deceptive measures more frequently.