Laurier’s Hunsberger Lecture to explore children’s lie-telling and factors that can influence truthfulness

March 22, 2023
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO — Wilfrid Laurier University’s Department of Psychology will welcome a leading expert on children’s verbal deception to speak about how children develop lie-telling abilities during the 18th annual Hunsberger Memorial Lecture.

Professor Victoria Talwar, chair of McGill University’s Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, will present “When we first practice to deceive: The development of children’s lie-telling and the social, cognitive and motivational factors that influence their behaviour” on March 31 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Science Building, Room N1001, on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

“We are extremely honoured to welcome one of the country’s foremost scholars, Professor Victoria Talwar, to give this year’s Hunsberger Lecture,” says Kim Roberts, professor in the Department of Psychology. “Professor Talwar makes vital connections to children’s developing minds and the social, familial, emotional and cultural context of such development.

“Her world-class research on children’s honesty and lie-telling behaviour has contributed significantly to our understanding of child development and how to reconcile what is normative and non-normative regarding lying. Her research has implications for key societal issues, and considering current public debate on deceptive behaviour — disinformation, fake news and political interference — Professor Talwar’s research is timely and relevant.”

Talwar has published numerous articles on children’s honesty and lie-telling behaviours, as well as child witness credibility. Among other distinctions, she has been awarded the Society for Research in Child Development’s Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Child Development Research award, is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 7), a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and a member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada. As part of her work, Talwar works with educators, social workers and legal professionals on research, training and knowledge mobilization.

The annual Hunsberger Memorial Lecture was created to honour the lifelong commitment of Professor Bruce Hunsberger to communicating psychological research to a wide audience. Hunsberger was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Laurier from 1974 to 2003, serving as department chair for many years. He was an influential scholar in the field of the psychology of religion and a recipient of the William James Award from the American Psychological Association. 

Attendees do not have to register for this event. For more information, email: psychadmin@wlu.ca