Study reveals your baby could be a master liar by age 1 | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHelen WilliamMonday 16 March 2026 00:49 GMTA quarter of children begin to understand deception by 10 months old (Getty/iStock)A new study has revealed that babies are capable of mastering deception even before their first birthday, with many infants employing sneaky tactics by toddlerhood.Research led by the University of Bristol indicates that about a quarter of children begin to understand deception by 10 months old, a figure that rises to half by 17 months.By the age of three, children become notably more proficient, creative, and frequent in their fabrications, according to the study's findings.The study gathered insights from parents of over 750 children across the UK, US, Australia, and Canada, detailing 16 distinct types of deceptive behaviour, such as feigning deafness, hiding items, and outright denial.Professor Elena Hoicka, the lead author, reassured parents that deception is an entirely normal part of toddler development.In fullBabies learn to deceive before they can talk, new study findsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in