Guilt motivates prosocial lying in preschoolers: Reparative and reputational pathways.

Developmental Psychology 2026

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Authors: Fengling Ma, Xiaoling Sun, Mansha Yao, Yutong Jiang, Kristin Hansen Lagattuta
DOI: 10.1037/dev0002195
Cited by: 1

Abstract

= 124, 62 girls, 62 boys) compared the effect of guilt induction on prosocial lying toward a victim versus a bystander. Whereas guilt increased polite and helping lies to benefit a victim (replicating Study 1), guilt only increased polite, but not helping lies, directed at a bystander. These findings suggest that guilt induction increased the likelihood of prosocial lying in preschoolers, but its motivational influence varied by social context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Fields of Study & Subjects

Child and Animal Learning Development Emotions and Moral Behavior Deception detection and forensic psychology

Publication details

Journal / source
Developmental Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Publication date
23 April 2026
Language
EN