Starting at six months old, apparently:Following studies of more than 50 children and interviews with parents, Dr Vasudevi Reddy, of the University of Portsmouth's psychology department, says she has identified seven categories of deception used between six months and three-years-old.
Infants quickly learnt that using tactics such as fake crying and pretend laughing could win them attention. By eight months, more difficult deceptions became apparent, such as concealing forbidden activities or trying to distract parents' attention.
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Dr Reddy said: "Fake crying is one of the earliest forms of deception to emerge, and infants use it to get attention even though nothing is wrong. You can tell, as they will then pause while they wait to hear if their mother is responding, before crying again.
I still do this with the wife. Works like a charm.
4 comments:
Took a $$study to realize this? Duh.
Actually, that was my first thought as well. Whose surprised that young babies can fake crying? Now if they could bluff successfully in poker, that would be soimething...
To say the babies are lying is a strange interpretation indeed. They are communicating with theri mother's. Any mother knows the difference beween a pain cry, much higher in frequency, a hunger cry, a tired cry, and I just want attention cry. They are just communicating, anyone with an ear knows the difference.
And thus is borne another Liberal perpetual victim . . .
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