Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
06:51
The Modified Temptation Resistance Task: A Paradigm to Elicit Children's Strategic Lie-telling
Published on: April 6, 2018
9.0K
Executive Function and Temperamental Fear Concurrently Predict Deception in School-Aged Children.
Sarah Babkirk1, Lauren V Saunders2, Beylul Solomon3
1Graduate Center, The City University of New York; Hunter College, The City University of New York.
Journal of Moral Education
|February 17, 2016
Summary
Children with high working memory and temperamental fear are more likely to lie. This study explored predictors of childhood deception, offering insights for moral education strategies.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Moral Development
Background:
- Deception in children is linked to moral development and potential anti-social behavior.
- Executive function and temperamental fear are individually associated with childhood deception.
- Limited research has examined the combined influence of these factors on deceptive behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the simultaneous impact of executive function and temperamental fear on childhood deception.
- To identify key predictors of deceptive behavior in children aged 6-9 years.
Main Methods:
- Assessed executive function using a working memory task in 43 children (ages 6-9).
- Measured temperamental fear through maternal reports.
- Observed and recorded deceptive behaviors.
Main Results:
- Children with higher working memory capacity were more prone to deception.
- Elevated levels of temperamental fear also correlated with increased deceptive behavior.
- The combination of high working memory and high temperamental fear predicted a greater likelihood of deception.
Conclusions:
- Working memory and temperamental fear are significant predictors of childhood deception.
- Findings have implications for understanding the development of anti-social tendencies.
- Results can inform targeted interventions and moral education programs for children.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Understanding Deception
227
Deception is a pervasive aspect of human communication. Empirical studies have shown that most individuals engage in some form of deceit on a daily basis, with approximately 20% of social exchanges involving deceptive elements. Lying follows a developmental trajectory, peaking during adolescence and declining with age, possibly due to the maturation of cognitive control and social accountability.Cognitive and Social Factors in Deception DetectionDespite its prevalence, accurately detecting...
227
01:30Information Processing Approach
745
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
745
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
1.2K
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
1.2K
01:29Dark Triad and Person Perception
408
Person perception is influenced by both external behaviors and the observer’s internal characteristics, including personality traits. Individuals with dark personality traits, comprising psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism — collectively known as the dark triad – exhibit manipulative and exploitative tendencies in social contexts. These traits affect how they perceive others and how they are perceived.The Role of Dark Personality Traits in Person PerceptionBlack et...
408
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
19.0K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
19.0K
02:09Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
43.1K
When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
43.1K