BREAKING THE MOLD - A FRESH LOOK AT CHILDRENS UNDERSTANDING OF QUESTIONS ABOUT LIES AND MISTAKES

In this investigation, we reexamine the claim that young children rega rd all false statements as lies. Children aged 3 to 5 years were shown 2 teddy bears. One bear had seen that bread which appeared edible was in reality moldy; the other had not seen the moldy contaminant. Both bears told an uninformed friend that the bread was okay to eat. When a sked to identify a bear as lying or mistaken, rather than as lying or not lying, many children of all ages responded correctly. We suggest t hat, when care is taken to clarify the form of question, a rudimentary understanding of lies and mistakes is evident in domains such as food and contamination that provide constraints for learning.