Whether it’s Santa Claus, Father Christmas, or St Nicholas that he goes by, at this time of year children everywhere are excited for his arrival. But, does the promise of presents from ‘the man in red’ make children behave better?
Dr Rohan Kapitany from our Psychology department led a study looking at just this. The surprising result – it’s not believing in Santa that encourages good behaviour.
The study found that belief in Santa alone did not prompt good behaviour at Christmastime. However, enjoying wider festive traditions was found to make some difference between ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’.
So, what does this mean for all the fraught parents out there?
Well, decorating the Christmas tree, festive films, carol singing and even (dare we say it) the elf on the shelf, are associated with improved behaviour.
The research surveyed over 500 families, with children aged 4-9, across the Christmas periods in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Families reported on their child’s behaviour in the six weeks leading up to Christmas, and Christmas week, along with details of activities they had undertaken.
The results (which were checked twice) showed wider festive traditions such as putting up decorations, enjoying festive foods and wearing Christmas jumpers had some impact on children’s behaviour.
The conclusion – helping children achieve ‘nice list’ behaviour is more about enjoying a range of yuletide traditions, than the idea of Santa.
Dr Kapitany’s research interest is in ritual, religion and reality beliefs. Rituals associated with any belief are known to be an important part their success and continuation.
Dr Kapitany wanted to understand this interplay in children. Studying their belief in Santa offers an insightful way to look at this.
His work helps to show how children understand what is real in the world. Whilst adults may assume that children are relatively gullible, believing what they are told, the reality is more complex.
Children are astute to recognising plausible claims and, like adults, will look for symbolic behaviours and rituals as evidence. So, in the case of Santa, the wider festive traditions that accompany Christmas, help to legitimise, and reinforce his existence for children.
Dr Kapitany believes that it is rituals associated with a belief, be it Santa for children, or a religious belief in adults, are a foundational motivator for things we don’t directly experience or cannot prove.
This latest research has been published as a pre-print and is still under peer-review.
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