science

Why you SHOULD teach your child to lie: Learning how to fib can be good for preschoolers' brains


Most children are taught not to lie from a young age.

But a new study from researchers at University of Toronto has found that learning to fib might actually have wide-ranging cognitive benefits.

A group of 42 preschool-aged children – none of which showed an ability to lie – were split into two factions: a control group and another group which was taught how to lie in order to win a hide-and-seek game. 

Most children are taught not to lie from a young age. But a new study has found that learning to fib might actually have wide-ranging cognitive benefits

Most children are taught not to lie from a young age. But a new study has found that learning to fib might actually have wide-ranging cognitive benefits

Most children are taught not to lie from a young age. But a new study has found that learning to fib might actually have wide-ranging cognitive benefits

The group of boys and girls, which had an average age of about 40 months, played a game where they had to hide a snack, like popcorn, from an adult over the course of four days. 

As part of the game, the adult had to select which hand the child had hid in the popcorn in. 

If the child was able to deceive the adult, they could keep the treat. 

Each child was then given a standardized test measuring executive functions, which include things like theory of mind, or the ability to understand what another person’s intentions are, as well as the ability to pay attention, stay focused on tasks, organize, prioritize and plan effectively. 

They found that the children who were taught to deceive ended up outperforming the control group. 

‘With just a few days of instruction, young children quickly learned to deceive and gained immediate cognitive benefits from doing so,’ the researchers wrote. 

Each child was then given a standardized test measuring executive functions, which include things like theory of mind, or the ability to understand what another person's intentions are. Children who were taught to deceive ended up outperforming the control group

Each child was then given a standardized test measuring executive functions, which include things like theory of mind, or the ability to understand what another person's intentions are. Children who were taught to deceive ended up outperforming the control group

Each child was then given a standardized test measuring executive functions, which include things like theory of mind, or the ability to understand what another person’s intentions are. Children who were taught to deceive ended up outperforming the control group

‘More generally, these findings support the idea that even seemingly negative human social behaviors may confer cognitive benefits when such behaviors call for goal pursuing, problem solving, mental state tracking and perspective tracking.’

Researchers say the study is the ‘first evidence’ that learning how to lie can actually improve cognitive skills in preschool-aged children. 

‘As parents and teachers – and society as a whole – we always worry that if a kid lies there will be terrible consequences,’ said Kang Lee, a co-author of the study who has studied how kids lie for over two decades. 

‘But it turns out there is a big difference between kids who lie earlier and those who lie later. 

‘The kids who lie earlier tend to have much better cognitive abilities,’ he added.  

However, it doesn’t mean all parents should be teaching their kids how to lie.

The researchers believe lying is a normal part of growing up and that children should learn to deceive when they're young so that they're equipped with essential cognitive functions

The researchers believe lying is a normal part of growing up and that children should learn to deceive when they're young so that they're equipped with essential cognitive functions

The researchers believe lying is a normal part of growing up and that children should learn to deceive when they’re young so that they’re equipped with essential cognitive functions

Children have the ability to lie as early as two years old, according to Lee. He discovered that his son could lie at 14 months old, when his son tricked him into getting him some milk even though he wasn’t hungry.

Lee believes lying is a normal part of growing up and that children should learn to deceive when they’re young so that they’re equipped with essential cognitive functions.    

‘When you look at the two skills important for lying [self-control and theory of mind]…these are fundamental cognitive skills that humans must have to survive in society,’ Lee explained. 

Lee has studied the way deceit and praise affect children for many years. 

A recent study he authored found that children praised by their parents for being smart are more likely to cheat in tests.

The study claims that when children are praised for being smart, they feel pressure to perform well in order to live up to others’ expectations, even if they need to cheat to do so. 

WHY YOU SHOULDN’T TELL YOUR CHILD THAT THEY’RE CLEVER 

The researchers say that children respond better to praise for their performance than they do to being told they are clever. 

When children are praised for being smart, they feel pressure to perform well in order to live up to others’ expectations.

Some children will cheat to live up to these expectations.

Praising a child’s specific behaviour does not imply that the child is expected to always perform well, and so is less likely to promote cheating.

The research shows the importance of learning to praise in a way that does not promote dishonest behaviour, the researchers said.



READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.