New research from NUS shows that children subjected to harsh physical punishments like slapping and spanking are more likely to lie and cheat, driven by self-criticism and fear of failure.
A new study from the National University of Singapore (NUS) reveals that parents who use physical punishments like slapping and spanking may inadvertently increase their children's lying and cheating behaviors.
The research, based on two long-term studies of Singapore families, indicates that children exposed to authoritarian parenting or harsh discipline are more likely to engage in dishonest acts over time. This behavior is not simply defiance but a coping mechanism for dealing with fear of failure, harsh self-judgment, and pressure to meet expectations. The findings were published in the journals Child Development and Developmental Psychology.
The first study followed 479 families from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort. Researchers examined parenting styles when children were four-and-a-half years old and tested them about 18 months later using a game designed to measure cheating. About 61 percent of the children cheated during the experiment. Children whose fathers used a more authoritarian parenting style were more likely to cheat.
These children also tended to criticize themselves more during another activity, suggesting that strict discipline affected their self-perception. Associate Professor Ding Xiao Pan, who led the research, explained that authoritarian parenting is characterized by high control, low warmth, and harsh discipline without explanation. This approach may undermine children's internalization of moral values. The self-critical mindset developed under such parenting pushes children to hide mistakes or seek approval through dishonest behavior rather than learning from failure.
Doctoral student Liwen Yu noted that self-critical children may feel intense pressure to maintain a flawless image, making cheating a maladaptive coping strategy to avoid feelings of inadequacy and secure external validation. The team says this is the first study to investigate the developmental mechanisms linking a discipline-oriented family environment to cheating behavior. The second study tracked 302 families with children aged seven to nine over three years.
Researchers examined different forms of negative parental control, including harsh punishment, discipline such as taking away privileges, and ignoring children. Only harsh punishment, including physical discipline like slapping and spanking, consistently predicted higher levels of lying and cheating over time. The relationship worked both ways: children who became more dishonest were more likely to receive harsher punishment later, creating a cycle that reinforced both behaviors.
Ms. Yu explained that children exposed to higher levels of negative parental control internalized dysfunctional beliefs such as 'I have to do well to be liked' or 'I shouldn't make mistakes.
' They then resorted to lying to meet unrealistic expectations or avoid further punishment. The researchers also found these children were more likely to develop unhealthy beliefs, such as needing to succeed to earn love or believing mistakes made them bad people, which were linked to more dishonest behavior. The researchers highlight that Singapore provides an important setting because strict, obedience-focused parenting and physical punishment are still culturally accepted in many families.
However, the studies found that harsh discipline did not directly cause dishonesty; instead, it changed how children thought about themselves, making lying or cheating a way to protect themselves from shame or disappointment. Associate Professor Ryan Y. Hong stressed that strict parenting does not directly cause dishonesty but alters children's self-view, which leads to cheating and lying.
The findings suggest a better approach: rather than responding to dishonesty with even harsher punishment, parents and educators should understand the drivers behind the behavior and help children build confidence, trust, and healthier coping mechanisms for dealing with mistakes. Understanding these developmental pathways is essential for designing effective interventions to promote honest behavior and healthy moral development
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