Little liars: babies younger than one practise deceit, study suggests

Pretending not to hear parents or hiding toys are among children’s early ploys, while by age of three they may be telling lies such as ‘a ghost ate the chocolate’, research finds

They may be yet to take their first step or say their first word, but some babies have already grasped the basics of deception before their first birthday, according to research.

The study, based on interviews with 750 parents, suggested that by 10 months about a quarter of children were practising some rudimentary form of deceit such as pretending not to hear their parents, hiding toys or eating forbidden foods out of view. By the age of three, children were more proficient, creative and frequent fabricators, according to the parents’ responses.