London: Contrary to general belief that honesty should be instilled in children from early childhood, a new study has claimed that those kids who lie will grow up to be successful citizens.
Researchers have carried out the study and found that the earlier a child starts telling convincing lies the more likely they are to be a success in later life -- in fact, the ability to tell fibs at the age of two is a sign of a fast developing brain and are likely to become successful people.
The study found that the more plausible the lie, the more quick witted they will be in later years and the better their ability to think on their feet. It also means that they have developed "executive function" -- the ability to invent a convincing lie by keeping the truth at the back of their mind.
"Parents should not be alarmed if their child tells a fib. Almost all children lie. Those who have better cognitive development lie better because they can cover up their tracks.
They may make bankers in later life," the British media quoted lead researcher Kang Lee of Toronto University as saying.
Lying involves multiple brain processes, such as integrating sources of information and manipulating the data to their advantage. And, it's linked to development of brain regions that allow "executive functioning" and use higher order thinking and reasoning, say the researchers.
Dr Lee and his team tested 1,200 children aged two to 16 years old. A majority of the volunteers told lies but it is the children with better cognitive abilities who can tell the best lies, the study found.
At the age of two, 20 per cent of children will lie. This rises to 50 per cent by three and almost 90 per cent at four. The most deceitful age, they discovered, was 12, when almost every child tells lies.
The tendency starts to fall away by the age of 16, when it is 70 per cent. As adulthood approaches, young people learn instead to use the less harmful "white lies" that everyone tells to avoid hurting people's feelings.
Dr Lee said that catching your children lying was not a bad thing but should be exploited as a "teachable moment".
"You shouldn't smack or scream at your child but you should talk about the importance of honesty and the negativity of lying. After the age of eight the opportunities are going to be very rare," he said.
Comments
0 comment