Even preschool children can recognize a hypocrite. And, just like adults, they don’t have the best opinion of such people: they assess hypocrites more negatively than they do other people who break commonly accepted rules, a study conducted by researchers from SWPS University shows.

As ultra-social beings, humans need other people in order to survive and flourish. Since we are destined to cooperate with others and form lasting relationships, knowing who is worth cooperating with and who to avoid is particularly valuable.

Fortunately, evolution has equipped us with cognitive abilities that allow us to evaluate the moral actions of others. One element of such an assessment is determining the probability of being deceived by that person. Consequently, people who present themselves as moral and then behave in an immoral way will be perceived as a potential threat.

Studies with adults show that moral hypocrites (people who not only act immorally, but also in a way that contradicts what they declare) are judged to be worse than those who act immorally but are not hypocrites. This is because hypocrites not only engage in immoral actions, they also betray the moral values they publicly endorse, leading to a greater moral condemnation.

Many studies indicate that a hypocrite’s moral character is judged to be worse than someone whose behavior does not contradict their previously endorsed values, as hypocrites are seen as deceitful and untrustworthy.

So small, but still a good judge of character

Scientists have long observed that children are particularly sensitive to immoral behavior in others and prefer pro-social attitudes. Some studies suggest that children build an opinion about an individual’s moral character not only by observing behavior directly but also by what they hear about the individual from others. From a very young age, children avoid people who break the established order. A special type of such people are those who resort to moral hypocrisy.

There are very few studies establishing whether children recognize moral hypocrisy and if it impacts their moral judgment. Researchers from SWPS University decided to explore this issue. As part of their study described in the paper “Unmasking Moral Hypocrisy: How Preschoolers Perceive and Judge Moral Hypocrites” published in Developmental Science, they conducted three experiments.

Finding answers to these questions is important not only for developmental and social psychology, but can also explain where adults’ judgments concerning moral hypocrisy come from, explains Katarzyna Myślińska-Szarek, Ph.D., from the Faculty of Psychology in Sopot at SWPS University, who conducted the research together with Wiesław Baryła, Ph.D., a professor at SWPS University, vice-dean for teaching at the Faculty of Psychology in Sopot.

In a series of experiments, the researchers worked with children aged 4 to 6 years. In the first experiment, preschoolers watched a video featuring animal-shaped puppets, in which one puppet building a tower of blocks and the other would then destroy it. One of the puppets represented an attitude of moral hypocrisy, and thus seemingly followed moral norms, but its behavior contradicted this.

By switching roles in the scenes, the scientists were able to confirm the hypotheses: children assessed hypocrites more negatively than characters who simply behaved inappropriately by destroying buildings, and what’s more—the assessment of the entire event involving the former was more negative. The second experiment showed that hypocrites are perceived as worse due to the contradictory signals they send to their surroundings.

How to use it: Cooperation and social trust

The work of researchers from SWPS University contributes new knowledge to research on human morality, including the theory of moral hypocrisy, proving, among other things, that children—just like adults—assess the reprehensible behavior of hypocrites more negatively than the immoral behavior of non-hypocrites.

It is also crucial to understand the significance of negative assessment of such people in the context of undertaking cooperation. Moral hypocrisy threatens group work by undermining trust. In addition, hypocrites who send misleading signals disrupt the integrity of the group, which is essential for cooperation, the psychologist says.

The researchers point out that it is worth looking at the results of the experiments more broadly, e.g. in terms of building social trust. Early detection of hypocrisy may be an important cognitive function, enabling children to better distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy people in their environment. Similar sensitivity may result from the need to accurately recognize allies.

The scientists conclude that authenticity and consistency in moral education of the youngest children are also very important, and caregivers should be mindful of their actions being consistent with their declarations, because—as it turns out—children are discerning observers of moral integrity.

Provided by
SWPS University