On the importance of being agreeable: The impact of personality traits on prosocial lying in children
Résumé
The objective of this study was to examine the relation between personality traits and prosocial lie-telling in children. A sample of 187 children aged 8-12 years (M age ¼ 9.74 years, SD age ¼ 1.01) was recruited from elementary schools in the south of France. The children's prosocial lies were measured using the Helping Scenario, and personality was assessed using the Big Five Questionnaire for Children. Results indicated that compared to children with lower scores, children with high agreeableness scores were more likely to agree to lie to help others at their own expense, suggesting that personality may play a role in the decision-making process of lying to help others in this age-group.