A series of new studies of young children in Singapore have revealed a surprising psychological twist: When explicitly told that lying is permissible, children may actually become more honest.

published in the journal Developmental Science, examined the behavior of children aged three to six

say whatever they want to win“.The control group received no such instruction.

Contrary to expectations, results from three separate studies showed that children who were told that lying was acceptable lied less often than those who did not receive permission. Although children in both groups cheated between 60% and 80% of the time, the group that was given permission had consistently lower rates of lying.

subtle test of honestyencouraging them to behave more honestly to meet the perceived expectations of adults.

There is also a strategic aspect. In competitive situations, success often depends on the unpredictability. Ao sinalizar que a mentira era esperada, a instrução pode ter levado as crianças a concluir que dizer a verdade seria a estratégia mais eficaz e surpreendente.