The Impact of Peer Observational Learning on Honesty Following a Transgression

Parents and teachers concerns about the development and socialization of lying aligns with research suggesting that persistent lying is related with delinquency, aggression, and conduct problems. We were interested in examining the difference between two groups: Honest and Praise (HP), and Control Group (CG) for the extent to which exposure to the experimental condition influenced a child’s decision to be honest and confess after a transgression. The study was designed to examine the extent to which observing peers of similar age receiving praise for being honest can promote honesty amongst children. Further, the study determined if gender influences honest reporting. The results suggest that there was no significant difference in honesty amongst children who were assigned to HP condition compared to the children randomly assigned to the CG. Participants confessed to peeking at similar rates across conditions. Gender differences in honest reporting were also not detected. This study's results help us understand the effects of different consequences on children's decision-making with honesty. These results suggest that other factors might play a more substantial role in fostering honest behavior in children.