Titel
Peeking beyond borders - A cross-cultural examination of the rela- tionship between children's honesty, self-regulation and parental trust
AutorInnen
Sophia, B., Miriam, R., Sarah, W.
Abstract
This pilot study investigates whether parental trust can predict cheating behav- ior in young children and explores cultural differences between German and Chinese samples. Central questions are whether children who are considered more trustworthy by their parents are less likely to cheat and if age or cultural context play a role. To investigate this, participants took part in a card-guessing game in which they were asked not to peek at a card while the experimenter left the room. Cheating was assessed by whether the children looked over a barrier or turned the card to see the answer. Parents provided additional infor- mation through questionnaires on trust, family background and children’s self- regulation. Data collection was completed between December 2024 and May 2025, resulting in a final sample of 25 German and 19 Chinese children. In Ger- many, most children did not cheat, with a balanced distribution between “look- ing” and “peeking.” In contrast, in China, the majority avoided cheating com- pletely or limited themselves to looking only. Statistical analyses revealed no significant cultural differences in the frequency, extent or latency of cheating. However, sample size limits the strength of these findings. The analysis of pa- rental questionnaires is still ongoing. Overall, the findings suggest that chil- dren’s honesty at this age is less influenced by cultural background than ex- pected. Instead, relational and individual factors, such as parental trust and self-regulation skills, may play a more important role. Future research with larger samples is needed to clarify these mechanisms and provide practical in- sights into moral development in early childhood.
Schlagworte
Cheating, Parental trust, cross-cultural comparison