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Children's Endorsement of Prosocial Lies According to Content and Recipient Knowledge

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Title: Children's Endorsement of Prosocial Lies According to Content and Recipient Knowledge
Language: English
Authors: Shirley Ong, Elizabeth S. Nilsen (ORCID 0000-0002-6161-8512)
Source: First Language. 2026 46(1):20-42.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Children, Adults, Prosocial Behavior, Misinformation, Opinions, Context Effect, Empathy, Theory of Mind, Achievement Tests, Receptive Language, Communication (Thought Transfer)
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
DOI: 10.1177/01427237251348529
ISSN: 0142-7237
1740-2344
Abstract: Children and adults use prosocial lies in their everyday conversational exchanges. However, their use of this language form varies across contexts. Extending work demonstrating the importance of conversational partner knowledge for communicative decisions, we examine whether children (ages 8-11 years old; N = 81) and adults' (N = 218) endorsement of prosocial lies (and truths) differ based on whether a recipient is/is not knowledgeable of the context. Additionally, we examine whether such endorsements varied based on whether the lie (or truth) was about their opinion or the objective reality. Participants were asked to imagine themselves within a scenario with another person who was unaware/aware of a negative event. They then rated how likely they would be to use truth/lie statements which varied in content (i.e., reference to opinion or reality). While children endorsed statements similarly for ignorant/knowledgeable recipients, adults were more likely to endorse telling a prosocial lie when the recipient was ignorant of the negative event. Both groups indicated higher likelihood of telling a prosocial lie about an opinion versus reality. Addressing individual factors, self-reported empathy was not associated with children's responses but was associated with adults' communicative choices. Together this work provides information as to how children (and adults) use varying language forms to navigate social situations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496509
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Children's Endorsement of Prosocial Lies According to Content and Recipient Knowledge
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shirley+Ong%22">Shirley Ong</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elizabeth+S%2E+Nilsen%22">Elizabeth S. Nilsen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6161-8512">0000-0002-6161-8512</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22First+Language%22"><i>First Language</i></searchLink>. 2026 46(1):20-42.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Misinformation%22">Misinformation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Opinions%22">Opinions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Context+Effect%22">Context Effect</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+of+Mind%22">Theory of Mind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Receptive+Language%22">Receptive Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+%28Thought+Transfer%29%22">Communication (Thought Transfer)</searchLink>
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  Data: Children and adults use prosocial lies in their everyday conversational exchanges. However, their use of this language form varies across contexts. Extending work demonstrating the importance of conversational partner knowledge for communicative decisions, we examine whether children (ages 8-11 years old; N = 81) and adults' (N = 218) endorsement of prosocial lies (and truths) differ based on whether a recipient is/is not knowledgeable of the context. Additionally, we examine whether such endorsements varied based on whether the lie (or truth) was about their opinion or the objective reality. Participants were asked to imagine themselves within a scenario with another person who was unaware/aware of a negative event. They then rated how likely they would be to use truth/lie statements which varied in content (i.e., reference to opinion or reality). While children endorsed statements similarly for ignorant/knowledgeable recipients, adults were more likely to endorse telling a prosocial lie when the recipient was ignorant of the negative event. Both groups indicated higher likelihood of telling a prosocial lie about an opinion versus reality. Addressing individual factors, self-reported empathy was not associated with children's responses but was associated with adults' communicative choices. Together this work provides information as to how children (and adults) use varying language forms to navigate social situations.
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      – SubjectFull: Misinformation
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      – SubjectFull: Opinions
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