SAN DIEGO -- A new psychology study by the University of California, San Diego, and Canadian researchers found that kids were likely to tell the truth about a parent's misdeeds, even if the parents asked them to lie, it was reported Tuesday.

"With a substantial number of young children testifying in U.S., Canadian and other courts, we wanted to test the accuracy and veracity of child witnesses," UCSD psychologist and lead researcher Kang Lee told The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Lee told the newspaper that when children are asked to promise to tell the truth, the level of honesty goes up.

The series of experiments, involving more than 200 children ages 3 to 11 and one parent for each child, is described in the latest issue of the psychology journal 'Law and Human Behavior'.

The study, "Children's Lie-Telling to Conceal a Parent's Transgressions: Legal Implications," was conducted by Lee, Victoria Talwar of McGill University and Nicholas Bala and R.C.I. Lindsay of Queens University. The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada funded the study.