Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Study Reveals Children Understand Deception by 8 Months

3/26/2026

48 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A study published in Cognitive Development finds that children can recognize deception as early as 8 months, with about half understanding it by 16 months.
The study surveyed over 750 children from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Elena Hoicka, lead author, notes that by age 3, children may deny actions, withhold information, or fabricate stories, reflecting complex deceptive behaviors.

1 of 1

Story summary

A study published in Cognitive Development finds that children can recognize deception as early as 8 months, with about half understanding it by 16 months.
The study surveyed over 750 children from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Elena Hoicka, lead author, notes that by age 3, children may deny actions, withhold information, or fabricate stories, reflecting complex deceptive behaviors.