INTELLIGENCE AND DECEPTION Q: More intelligent children tend to be more deceptiv

INTELLIGENCE AND DECEPTION

Q: More intelligent children tend to be more deceptive—can you explain this?

A: The experiment was simplicity itself. A child is asked to sit facing away from a box. The experimenter puts something in the box and says “Do not peek, do not peek” and then leaves the room. Most children peek. The experimenter returns and asks, “Did you peek?” Most children lie—but they do so the more frequently the brighter they are, as judged by a simple cognitive test. If your child is especially bright, he or she lies 100 percent of the time, slow 65 percent of the time. The same thing is true for health at birth. The healthier you are the more apt you are to lie 4 years later.