Keywords

dishonesty, teenagers, rationalization

Abstract

When we see teenagers do things that are seriously wrong or illegal we often ask, “Why did they do such a stupid thing?” “What in the world were they thinking?” In fact, teenagers do many stupid things and sometimes it appears they were not really thinking. But when we examine what goes through their minds it is easier to understand why they sometimes act dishonestly. We also learn that the excuses teenagers make for being dishonest are not much different than the rationalizations used by adults.

Original Publication Citation

D.J. Cherrington, J.O. Cherrington, "Understanding Honesty: The Teenage Mind", The Hayes Report Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages 2-3, 1, 21.