Development of tactical deception from 4 to 8 years of age

• Published in: British journal of developmental psychology 2013-03, Vol.31 (1), p.30-41
• Main Authors: Smith, Rachelle M., LaFreniere, Peter J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Achievement; Adults; Age Differences; Age Factors; Age groups; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Behavior - psychology; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Children; Communication; Comparative Analysis; Competitive Behavior; Competitive games; Deceit; Deception; Developmental psychology; Expectation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Games; Humans; Interviews; Maine; Male; Misinformation; Predictor Variables; Preschool Children; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Task Performance and Analysis; Theory of Mind; Young Children
• ISSN: 0261-510X; 2044-835X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-835X.2011.02071.x

One hundred eighteen children, divided into three age groups (4‐, 6‐, and 8‐year‐olds) participated in a competitive game designed to explore advances in children's deceptive abilities. Success in the game required children to inhibit useful information or provide misinformation in their communication with an adult opponent. Age trends were evident for all dependent variables, including success at the task, strategic behaviours, and interview data. Four‐year‐olds were non‐strategic and rarely successful, 6‐year‐olds were increasingly strategic and successful, and 8‐year‐olds were significantly more subtle in their strategies, more successful at the task, and more likely to verbalize an understanding of their opponent's expectations than younger age groups.