I need help responding to this discussion board post by:

Tracy Woodruff

Week 12

"Lying and Truth-Telling in Children: From Concept to Action" by (Xu et al., 2010). The article discusses lying and truth-telling in children and how it develops over time. According to the article, children begin to understand the concept of lying around 3 or 4 and become increasingly skilled at it as they age. The article also highlights that while lying is often seen as a negative behavior, it can also serve a positive purpose in certain situations. After reading the article, I am not particularly surprised by any of the findings. My personal and professional experiences with children have witnessed lying and truth-telling that align with the article's findings. Moving on to the second discussion thread, I think it's important to consider other conditions in which children may not tell the truth. For example, children who have experienced trauma or abuse may be more likely to lie as a means of self-preservation.

Additionally, children may lie if they perceive that telling the truth will result in negative consequences. I believe that the findings discussed in the article support these views, as they highlight that lying is often a complex behavior influenced by various factors. While personal experiences can certainly inform our understanding of this topic, it's important to look to scholarly articles and research to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue.

The key points of the article:

1. Children begin to understand the concept of lying around the age of 3 or 4 and become increasingly skilled at it as they age.

2. Lying can serve a positive purpose in certain situations and is not always a negative behavior.

3. Trauma or abuse can influence a child's tendency to lie as a means of self-preservation.

4. Children may lie if they perceive that telling the truth will result in negative consequences.

5. A comprehensive understanding of this topic requires personal experiences and scholarly research.

No, none of the findings discussed in the article "Lying and Truth-Telling in Children: From Concept to Action" surprised me. In my personal and professional experiences with children, I have observed instances of lying and truth-telling that align with the findings presented in the article. However, I found the article informative and well-researched, and it helped solidify my understanding of this complex topic.

For the second thread: Yes, the article's findings are consistent with my experiences with children. In both personal and professional contexts, I have observed that children begin to understand lying at a young age and become increasingly skilled at it over time. Additionally, I have seen instances where lying has served a positive purpose or been used as a means of self-preservation in children who have experienced trauma or abuse. I also agree that children may lie if they perceive that telling the truth will result in negative consequences. Overall, I think the article provides a valuable and accurate portrayal of the development of lying and truth-telling in children.

Regarding other conditions in which children may not tell the truth, several factors must be considered. For example, research has shown that children with certain personality traits may be more prone to lying. In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that children who scored high on "callous-unemotional" traits were likelier to lie and cheat than children who scored low on these measures (Talwar & Lee, 2012).Additionally, children's cultural background and the cultural norms around lying in their community may influence their propensity to lie. A study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology found that children from collectivistic cultures (where group harmony is emphasized) were likelier to lie to protect the feelings of others.

In contrast, children from individualistic cultures (where personal achievement is emphasized) were likelier to lie to avoid punishment (Li et al., 2013). Moreover, children's age and cognitive development can also influence their tendency to lie. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that younger children were likelier to lie in situations where they could benefit from doing so. In comparison, older children were more likely to consider the moral implications of lying (Talwar & Lee, 2011). Overall, it's clear that many factors can influence a child's tendency to lie. While personal experiences can be informative, it's important to also look to scholarly research to gain a more complete understanding of this complex behavior.

References:

Xu, F., Bao, X., Fu, G., Talwar, V., & Lee, K. (2010). Lying and Truth-Telling in Children: From Concept to Action.Child Development,81(2), 581-596. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01417.x

Talwar, V., & Lee, K. (2011). Development of lying to conceal a transgression: Children's control of expressive behavior during verbal deception. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 35(5), 436-442.

Talwar, V., & Lee, K. (2012). A punitive environment fosters children's dishonesty: A natural experiment. Child Development, 83(1), 176-185.

Li, Y., Li, L., Li, H., & Liu, X. (2013). A cross-cultural study of children's lie-telling behavior: Individualism vs. collectivism. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(6), 912-927.