An assessment of when moral stories promote children's honesty

Stories are widely used around the world to try to teach children moral lessons. However, it is often difficult for children to figure out how lessons from stories can be applied to real-life settings. In the present research, we tested whether encouraging children to be like the protagonists helps...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied developmental science 2024-07, Vol.28 (3), p.292-301
Main Authors: Ding, Xiao Pan, Cheng, Joey Kei Teng, Cheng, Qiqi, Heyman, Gail D.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Stories are widely used around the world to try to teach children moral lessons. However, it is often difficult for children to figure out how lessons from stories can be applied to real-life settings. In the present research, we tested whether encouraging children to be like the protagonists helps explain the success of positive moral stories (i.e., emphasizing positive consequence of truth-telling) in promoting honesty. Participants were 3- to 6-year-old children (N = 383), and honesty was operationalized in terms of truthful admission to cheating in the Temptation Resistance Paradigm (TRP). The results showed that stories were only effective at promoting honesty among young children when they were encouraged to try being like the protagonist in positive moral stories. Theoretical implications for moral development and practical implications for moral education are discussed.
ISSN:1088-8691
1532-480X
DOI:10.1080/10888691.2023.2195182