The Power of Praise: How McGill 2025 Research Helps Families Encourage Honesty

At Langmobile, we know praise is powerful. Now, McGill researchers are studying how different kinds of praise can guide children to grow as confident, truthful individuals, and they are inviting families to join in.

Praise shapes how children see themselves and how they learn values like honesty. At Langmobile, we are always honored when asked to partner with researchers whose work directly impacts the lives of children and families. Once again, we have been invited to share an exciting opportunity from McGill University’s Talwar Child Development Lab. Their current study is investigating how different types of verbal praise influence children’s honesty — and how this connects to the way children see themselves.

This topic is close to our hearts. As a language school that works with over 3,000 children each summer and hundreds of children online each week, we see firsthand how praise and encouragement shape confidence, self-expression, and character. Honesty, like language, develops through daily interactions. The way adults acknowledge and reinforce it can have lasting effects on how children grow into trustworthy, confident individuals.

Why This Research Matters

Children are constantly learning about themselves and the world around them. Honesty is one of the most important values they develop in childhood, but it is also one of the most complex. Parents and educators often wonder: What’s the best way to encourage children to tell the truth?

This McGill study, supervised by Dr. Victoria Talwar and her doctoral student, Ipek Isik, aims to answer that question by exploring how different styles of praise influence children’s choices. For example, does it make a difference if we tell a child “You are a very honest person” versus “That was an honest thing to do”? These subtle differences may shape how children understand honesty, their behavior, and even their self-concept.

What Participation Looks Like

Families with children between the ages of 4 and 11 are invited to take part in a single 35-minute session. This can be done either at the📍 Talwar Child Development Lab at McGill (3724 McTavish Street, Montreal) or, if preferred, in the comfort of your own home.

During the session, children will:

• Share a story about a time they did something they weren’t supposed to do.
• Receive one of three types of praise: dispositional (focused on who they are), process (focused on their behavior), or neutral (a simple “thank you”).
• Play a fun trivia game where honesty may be tested in a light, playful way.
• Watch clips of puppets and answer related questions

The session will be video recorded for research purposes, but all responses will remain completely confidential. Children will be debriefed, reassured, and celebrated at the end of the activity.

A Thank You for Participation

Families will receive a $20 Amazon or Chapters/Indigo e-gift card as well as a small prize chosen by the child. More importantly, you’ll be contributing to research that could help parents, educators, and childcare professionals better support honesty and character development in children everywhere.

Join the Study

We feel privileged to share this opportunity with our Langmobile community. If you are interested in participating, we encourage you to reach out and join the study. Together, we can support research that not only enriches the academic world but also provides practical insights for families raising the next generation.

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