#Honesty

Telling small white lies to children — from claiming the tablet is “broken” to insisting ice cream trucks only play music when out of ice cream — is a parenting tactic familiar to many. While these fibs often seem harmless and sometimes feel like necessary tools for exhausted parents, new international research warns that such deception can carry significant unintended consequences for a child’s trust and honesty, even shaping their behavior well into adolescence and adulthood.

Small white lies may feel convenient for tired parents, but new international research suggests they come with lasting costs to trust and honesty in children. The findings indicate that deceptive parenting can shape a child’s behavior into adolescence and beyond, undermining confidence in close relationships.

A major study led by researchers from a top Singapore university and a prominent education institute in Ontario confirms a global pattern: most parents report telling lies to influence emotions or behavior. More than nine in ten adults say they were lied to by a parent in childhood, and the majority of current parents admit to lying to their own children.

A recent study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that people who cheat once are more likely to cheat again. This challenges the idea that cheating is just a one-time lapse. The finding has implications for everyday life and raises questions about trust in Thai personal and professional relationships.

Researchers tracked nearly 2,000 participants over three years using controlled games designed to measure dishonest behavior. In one exercise, participants wrote a number from one to eight. After being shown a random number, they answered whether their number matched the display. A small cash reward was offered for a match, and participants were told their answers would not be double-checked, creating an environment where lying had no immediate consequences. The study indicates that cheating persisted across different scenarios, suggesting a stable trait rather than situational opportunism.

A newly published study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology is making waves by suggesting that individuals who cheat once are significantly more likely to repeat their dishonest behaviour—contradicting the longstanding belief that cheating is merely a one-time error in judgment rather than a trait embedded in a person’s character. This finding has important implications for understanding dishonesty in everyday life and raises new questions for Thai readers about how trust and integrity function in both personal and professional relationships.

Recent psychology hints that warmth, honesty, and compassion are not always the deciding factors in how people judge leaders. Emotional appeal can be just as persuasive, or even more so, than factual accuracy or moral consistency. For Thai readers, this has practical implications as public figures rely on energy and storytelling to sustain support.

Trust and empathy were long considered core leadership traits. Yet contemporary research indicates that affective impact often sways opinions, shaping everything from workplace dynamics to voter choices. In Thai contexts, charismatic speakers—whether in politics, media, or community groups—can build loyal followings even when their statements lack rigor. This pattern mirrors a global trend toward prioritizing personal style and emotional resonance over clear facts.

Affect overrules virtue—recent psychological research is challenging the long-standing belief that honesty, warmth, and compassion are universally valued traits in leaders and individuals, showing that emotional appeal can be equally, if not more, persuasive. This finding holds sobering lessons for Thai society and global democracies, as new evidence reveals why these virtues sometimes take a back seat to style, energy, and emotional resonance.

For years, trustworthiness and empathy were seen as essential personal qualities, especially in politics and public life. According to recent scholarly work such as that cited by Psychology Today, qualities like honesty and caring once formed the bedrock of how leaders were judged and supported, shaping everything from workplace relationships to voter decisions (psychologytoday.com). However, as new evidence and expert commentary suggest, affective—or emotional—impact now increasingly sways opinions, sometimes eclipsing the importance of fact-checking and moral consistency.

A recent discussion on common parenting strategies has resurfaced in the spotlight, revealing how many parents deploy “white lies” as a means to encourage good behavior in children. The approach is widespread not only across Western nations but also within Thai families—sparking new interest among experts in child development as they debate the long-term effects of these seemingly harmless fibs. As Thailand’s younger generation continues to face mounting pressures in academic and social spheres, understanding the psychology behind these parental tactics becomes ever more important.

A global debate about parenting tactics is resurfacing in Thailand, focusing on the common use of white lies to encourage good behavior. Experts say these fibs are widely used in Thai families as well as in many Western households, but questions are growing about their long-term effects on trust, honesty, and moral development.

These tellings — such as suggesting Santa Claus only visits after homework is finished or that the TV will break if watched during dinner — are often framed as harmless, practical tools. They can defuse conflicts in the moment and help set boundaries. Yet research suggests the approach may have unintended consequences as children grow older, influencing how they view truth and authority. In Thai communities, where family harmony and face-saving are valued, such tactics have deep cultural roots and are sometimes passed down through folk stories and traditional teachings. Data from international research indicates that frequent use of white lies can erode trust over time and shape a child’s attitudes toward honesty.