Why did Dr. Mudd tell Wells he did not recognize Booth?

Why did Dr. Mudd tell Wells he did not recognize Booth?

• A. Because he was afraid the authorities would arrest him.
• B. Because he was afraid the authorities would find out his secrets.
• C. Because he did not recognize Booth.
• D. Because he had never seen Booth before.

Answer: (B)

The question taps the idea that people lie to shield themselves from favorable or harsh consequences by hiding what they know or did. Dr. Mudd told Wells he didn’t recognize Booth because he feared the authorities would uncover his secrets if he admitted knowing or helping Booth. That protective motive—keeping hidden information about his actions or affiliations—explains the denial more directly than a simple fear of arrest. The other options miss the deeper reason: while fear of consequences is related, the driving force is avoiding exposure of undisclosed information, and the statement that he hadn’t seen Booth is not supported by the situation.

The question taps the idea that people lie to shield themselves from favorable or harsh consequences by hiding what they know or did. Dr. Mudd told Wells he didn’t recognize Booth because he feared the authorities would uncover his secrets if he admitted knowing or helping Booth. That protective motive—keeping hidden information about his actions or affiliations—explains the denial more directly than a simple fear of arrest. The other options miss the deeper reason: while fear of consequences is related, the driving force is avoiding exposure of undisclosed information, and the statement that he hadn’t seen Booth is not supported by the situation.