Children and lying : a century of scientific research

Children and Lying reviews all the scientific evidence about the development of lying from the last century.

Using a speech act theoretical approach, it integrates the findings of previous research in order to present a coherent picture of the development of lying.

The text starts by discussing the conceptual issues involved in the analysis of lying and provides a brief historic account of the relevant developmental research.

The authors then cover animal deception and lying in adults as points of comparison, before moving on to investigate four main aspects of lying from a developmental perspective: children's concept of lying, their moral judgments of lying, the development of lie-detection abilities, and children's lie-telling behavior in various contexts.

Finally, the authors offer an overview of the practical implications of this research in educational, clinical, and legal settings, and suggest directions for future research in the field.