OISE co-led research finds children’s honesty encouraged by trust

A new study by researchers from the University of Toronto, Hangzhou Normal University and Harvard University has found that simply expressing trust in young children can promote their honesty. 

In a study published by OISE Professor Kang Lee, Professor Li Zhao of Hangzhou Normal University, and Harvard developmental scientist Dr. Paul Harris in Nature Human Behaviour, the findings provide novel insights into the development of trust and integrity in early childhood.

Conducted through a series of field experiments with 328 kindergarteners, the international research team studied whether children were less likely to cheat in a simple test of counting accuracy if the adult administering the test had previously conveyed her trust in them.


The studies systematically varied whether or not adults directly asked children for help or expressed trust in them – that is, some children were asked to help the experimenter who subsequently expressed trust in them, while some children were not asked.

The results showed that when adults trusted children to help with small tasks, such as holding their house keys, and conveyed that they would trust them in the future, the children were significantly less likely to cheat on a subsequent test compared to children who were not given such trust messages. 

“We were surprised by how powerful an effect a simple expression of trust had on children's subsequent honesty,” said Zhao. “It seems that even at a young age, children understand the value of trust and are willing to behave more honestly in response to feeling trusted by others.” 

OISE Professor Dr. Kang Lee, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Moral Development and Developmental Neuroscience and a co-author of the study, points out, “These results challenge the assumption that young children are simply opportunistic or prone to dishonesty. Our research suggests they are acutely attuned to social cues of trust from a very young age.” 

“While more work is needed, fostering an ethos of trust rather than distrust could be pivotal for supporting children's character development in their formative early years.”

Dr. Harris notes that the findings build on earlier research on trust in young children. 

“Previous studies have show that young children are quite selective in whom they trust for information and support,” he says. “The new results show that children are also receptive to another person’s trust in them.” 

“It's fascinating that we now have evidence for such a bidirectional link. Children’s willingness to reciprocate trust with honest behavior implies an elementary yet sophisticated grasp of social exchange very early on.”

Dr. Harris speculates that the effects may stem from deeply rooted evolutionary adaptations. 

“As a social species, establishing mutual trust would have conferred survival advantages for our distant ancestors. Children may be inclined from a young age to become trustworthy through behaviors such as reciprocity when others express trust in them.”

Not only do the findings have important theoretical implications, but they also offer practical guidance to empower parents and educators in cultivating moral character from an early age.

“Our results point to the promise of using trust – rather than threats or punishment – to nurture integrity in children,” said Dr. Zhao. 

“Expressing faith in children appears to strengthen their willingness to act with virtue,” added Dr. Lee. 

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When did a leap of faith in trusting your kids surprise even you? - Dr. Kang on CBC Radio