Lying children will grow up to be successful citizens

The earlier a child starts telling convincing lies the more likely they are to be a success in later life, new research suggests.

Researchers have found that the ability to tell fibs at the age of two is a sign of a fast developing brain and means they are more likely to have successful lives. They found that the more plausible the lie, the more quick witted they will be in later years and the better their abiliy to think on their feet.

It also means that they have developed “executive function” – the ability to invent a convincing lie by keeping the truth at the back of their mind. “Parents should not be alarmed if their child tells a fib,” said Dr Kang Lee, director of the Institute of Child Study at Toronto Universit who carried out the research.

“Almost all children lie. Those who have better cognitive development lie better because they can cover up their tracks. They may make bankers in later life.” Lying involves multiple brain processes, such as integrating sources of information and manipulating the data to their advantage.