Exploring the ability to deceive in children with autism spectrum disorders.
The present study explored the relations among lie-telling ability, false belief understanding, and verbal mental age. We found that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), like typically developing children, can and do tell antisocial lies (to conceal a transgression) and white lies (in politeness settings). However, children with ASD were less able than typically developing children to cover up their initial lie; that is, children with ASD had difficulty exercising semantic leakage control--the ability to maintain consistency between their initial lie and subsequent statements. Furthermore, unlike in typically developing children, lie-telling ability in children with ASD was not found to be related to their false belief understanding. Future research should examine the underlying processes by which children with ASD tell lies.
Li
Annie S
AS
Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. 6asml@queensu.ca
Kelley
Elizabeth A
EA
Evans
Angela D
AD
Lee
Kang
K
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008192:Deception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests