International Journal of Behavioral Development, Ahead of Print.
This study investigates prosocial lying in children, focusing on their use of polite and altruistic lies in interactions with peers and adults. Despite its significance in moral development, the distinction between polite and altruistic lies remains underexplored, particularly spontaneous altruistic lies and polite lies among peers. Our research, conducted with children aged 7, 9, and 11 years, investigates how these lies are employed across different social contexts. The findings reveal that polite and altruistic lies are driven by distinct motivations and exhibit unique developmental patterns. Children are more likely to use polite lies with adults, while altruistic lies show consistent frequencies across recipient types. These findings highlight the essential differences between children’s polite and altruistic lies, offering new insights into their moral and social development.