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In psychology, theory of mind is an importantsocial-cognitiveskill that involves the ability to think about mental states, both your own and those of others. It encompasses the ability to attribute mental states, includingemotions, desires, beliefs, and knowledge, and recognize that other people’s thoughts and beliefs may differ from yours.
Theory of mind considers the factors that have led to those mental states.It also explores some of the factors that might impact a person’s theory of mind, includingautismand schizophrenia.
Why is it called a"theory"of mind?Psychologistsrefer to it as such because our beliefs about what might be going on in another person’s head are just that—theories. While we can make predictions, we have no direct way of knowing exactly what a person might think.
All we can rely on is our own theories that we develop based on what people say, how they act, what we know about theirpersonalities, and what we can infer about their intentions.
Verywell / JR Bee
Why Is the Theory of Mind Important?
The emergence of a theory of mind is vital during the developmental process. Very young children tend tobe more egocentricand are often unable to think about the mental states of others. As people age, their theory of mind emerges and continues to develop.
Forging a strong theory of mind plays an important role in our social worlds as we work to understand how people think, to predict their behavior, to engage in social relationships, and to solve interpersonal conflicts.
In order to interact with others, it is important to be able to understand their mental states and to think about how those mental states might influence their actions.
Theory of mind allows people to infer the intentions of others, as well as to think about what’s going on in someone else’s head, including hopes, fears, beliefs, and expectations. Social interactions can be complex, and misunderstandings can make them even more fraught. By being able to develop accurate ideas about what other people are thinking, we are better able to respond accordingly.
Experience and Development
Development of Theory of Mind
The greatest growth of this ability to attribute mental states is believed to take place primarily during the preschool years between the ages of 3 and 5. However, a number of different factors are believed to exert some influence on the development of a theory of mind. Some researchers have suggested that gender and the number of siblings in the home can affect how the theory of mind emerges.
Theory of mind develops as children gain greater experience with social interactions. Play, pretend, stories, and relationships with parents and peers allow children to develop stronger insight into how other people’s thinking may differ from their own. Social experiences also help children learn more about how thinking influences actions.
The growth of theory of mind skills tends to improve progressively and sequentially with age. While many theory of mind abilities emerge during the preschool years, research has shown that kids between the ages of 6 and 8 are still developing these skills. In studies, children at this age were still not completely proficient at all theory of mind tasks.
Stages of Theory of Mind
One study found that children typically progress through five different theory of mind abilities in sequential, standard order.
Tasks Listed From Easiest to Most DifficultThe understanding that the reasons why people might want something (i.e. desires) may differ from one person to the nextThe understanding that people can have different beliefs about the same thing or situationThe understanding that people may not comprehend or have the knowledge that something is trueThe understanding that people can hold false beliefs about the worldThe understanding that people can have hidden emotions, or that they may act one way while feeling another way
Tasks Listed From Easiest to Most Difficult
The understanding that the reasons why people might want something (i.e. desires) may differ from one person to the nextThe understanding that people can have different beliefs about the same thing or situationThe understanding that people may not comprehend or have the knowledge that something is trueThe understanding that people can hold false beliefs about the worldThe understanding that people can have hidden emotions, or that they may act one way while feeling another way
Studies have also found that the theory of mind can be unstable.In other words, children may be able to understand mental states in some situations, but struggle in others. While kids may be able to pass most or all theory of mind tasks at the age of 4, their abilities continue to improve and develop through late adolescence and into adulthood.
Some studies also suggest that individual differences in theory of mind abilities are related to a child’s social competence.
Perhaps not surprisingly, kids who are more adept at thinking about what other people are thinking tend to have stronger social abilities.
How Do Psychologists Measure It?
So how exactly do psychologists go about measuring how people think about their own thoughts and thoughts of others? One of the most commonly used methods to assess a child’s theory of mind abilities is known as a false-belief task. The ability to attribute false belief in others is considered a major milestone in the formation of a theory of mind.
The goal of such tasks is to require children to make inferences about what someone has done or what they are thinking when the other person’s beliefs about reality are in conflict with what children currently know. In other words, children may know something is true; an understanding of false belief requires them to understand that other people may not be aware of this truth.
For example, a child might know that there are no cookies left in the cookie jar—but does he understand that his sister has no way of knowing that there are no cookies left?
False Belief Tasks for Measuring Theory of MindHow do false belief tasks used inpsychology experimentswork? In the “Sally-Anne test,” one of the most frequently used false-belief scenarios, children are shown two dolls named Sally and Anne:Sally has a basket while Anne has a box.Sally places a marble in her basket and then leaves the room.While she is gone, Anne takes the marble from the basket and puts it in the box.When Sally returns, children who have watched this scenario are asked where they think Sally will look for the marble.
False Belief Tasks for Measuring Theory of Mind
How do false belief tasks used inpsychology experimentswork? In the “Sally-Anne test,” one of the most frequently used false-belief scenarios, children are shown two dolls named Sally and Anne:Sally has a basket while Anne has a box.Sally places a marble in her basket and then leaves the room.While she is gone, Anne takes the marble from the basket and puts it in the box.When Sally returns, children who have watched this scenario are asked where they think Sally will look for the marble.
How do false belief tasks used inpsychology experimentswork? In the “Sally-Anne test,” one of the most frequently used false-belief scenarios, children are shown two dolls named Sally and Anne:
So what do the children’s responses indicate about their theory of mind? Children pass the test if they say that Sally will look in the basket. This demonstrates that these children understand thatSally holds a false beliefabout where the marble really is. In order to pass the test, children must be able to think aboutwhat Sally thinksand believes.
Children who say that the marble is in the box, however, do not pass the test. They fail to demonstrate their own understanding thatSally’s knowledge is different from their own.
While the theory of mind has historically been assessed using only false-belief tasks, current approaches involve measuring across a scale of developmental tasks. Doing so better allows researchers to see how different the theory of mind milestones emerges as children age.
For example, the ability to understand what other people desire emerges before the ability to understand hidden emotions that people may be feeling.
Problems With Theory of Mind
While the emergence of a theory of mind tends to follow a fairly predictable sequence over the course of normal development, sometimes things go wrong. Theory of mind problems can have a range of serious complications. When people struggle to understand mental states, social relationships, and interactions can suffer.
Autism
Researchers Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues have suggested that theory of mind problems are one of the hallmarks of autism.In a study, they looked at how children with autism performed on the theory of mind tasks compared to children with Down’s Syndrome as well asneurotypical children.
They found that while around 80% of children who were neurotypical or who had Down’s Syndrome were able to answer theory of mind questions correctly, only around 20% of children who had been diagnosed with autism were able to correctly answer such questions.
This problem with perspective-taking and understanding the thoughts of others is thought to contribute to the difficulty that those with autism spectrum disorders have with some types of social interactions.
Schizophrenia
Studies have also shown that people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia often also demonstrate the theory of mind deficits.
One meta-analysis involving more than 1,500 participants showed significant impairments in theory of mind among those with schizophrenia.These participants showed problems with both the ability to understand false beliefs as well as the ability to infer the intentions of others.
Schizophrenia in Children
A Word From Verywell
Forming a theory of mind is critical in our ability to understand ourselves and others. This ability to understand mental states allows people tointrospectand consider their own thoughts and mental states. Suchself-awarenessis important in the formation of a strongsense of self.
Our social functioning also hinges on having a theory of mind. By being able to think about what other people are thinking, we can better understand others and predict what they might do next.
13 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schaafsma SM, Pfaff DW, Spunt RP, Adolphs R.Deconstructing and reconstructing theory of mind.Trends Cogn Sci (Regul Ed).2015;19(2):65-72. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.11.007Thompson RB, Thornton B.Gender and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers’ Group Effort: Evidence for Timing Differences Behind Children’s Earliest Social Loafing.The Journal of Social Psychology. 2014;154(6):475-479. doi:10.1080/00224545.2014.933763Shahaeian A, Nielsen M, Peterson CC, Slaughter V.Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development: A Comparison of Australian and Iranian School-Age Children.Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 2014;45(4):555-568. doi:10.1177/0022022113513921Calero CI, Salles A, Semelan M, Sigman M.Age and gender dependent development of Theory of Mind in 6- to 8-years old children.Fron Human Neuroscience.2013;7:281. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00281Scott RM, Baillargeon R.Early False-Belief Understanding.Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2017;21(4):237-249. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2017.01.012Wellman HM, Fuxi F, Peterson CC.Sequential Progressions in a Theory-of-Mind Scale: Longitudinal Perspectives.Child Dev.2012;82(3):780-792. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01583.xDumontheil I, Apperly IA, Blakemore SJ.Online usage of theory of mind continues to develop in late adolescence.Dev. Sci.2010;13:331-338. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00888.xLecce S, Caputi M, Pagnin A, Banerjee R.Theory of mind and school achievement: The mediating role of social competence.Cognitive Development. 2017;44:85-97. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.010Richardson H, Lisandrelli G, Riobueno-Naylor A, Saxe R.Development of the social brain from age three to twelve years.Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):1027. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03399-2Jones CRG, Simonoff E, Baird G, et al.The association between theory of mind, executive function, and the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.Autism Res.2018;11(1):95-109. doi:10.1002/aur.1873Baron-Cohen S.The Autistic Child’s Theory of Mind: a Case of Specific Developmental Delay.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1989;30(2):285-97. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00241.xNg R, Fish S, Granholm E.Insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia.Psychiatry Research. 2015;225(1-2):169-174. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.010Sprong M, Schothorst P, Vos E, Hox J, Van Engeland H.Theory of mind in schizophrenia.British Journal of Psychiatry.2007l;191(1):5–13. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.107.035899Additional ReadingEstes D, Bartsch K.Theory of mind: A foundational component of human general intelligence.Behav Brain Sci.2017;40:e201. doi:10.1017/S0140525X16001618
13 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schaafsma SM, Pfaff DW, Spunt RP, Adolphs R.Deconstructing and reconstructing theory of mind.Trends Cogn Sci (Regul Ed).2015;19(2):65-72. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.11.007Thompson RB, Thornton B.Gender and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers’ Group Effort: Evidence for Timing Differences Behind Children’s Earliest Social Loafing.The Journal of Social Psychology. 2014;154(6):475-479. doi:10.1080/00224545.2014.933763Shahaeian A, Nielsen M, Peterson CC, Slaughter V.Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development: A Comparison of Australian and Iranian School-Age Children.Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 2014;45(4):555-568. doi:10.1177/0022022113513921Calero CI, Salles A, Semelan M, Sigman M.Age and gender dependent development of Theory of Mind in 6- to 8-years old children.Fron Human Neuroscience.2013;7:281. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00281Scott RM, Baillargeon R.Early False-Belief Understanding.Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2017;21(4):237-249. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2017.01.012Wellman HM, Fuxi F, Peterson CC.Sequential Progressions in a Theory-of-Mind Scale: Longitudinal Perspectives.Child Dev.2012;82(3):780-792. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01583.xDumontheil I, Apperly IA, Blakemore SJ.Online usage of theory of mind continues to develop in late adolescence.Dev. Sci.2010;13:331-338. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00888.xLecce S, Caputi M, Pagnin A, Banerjee R.Theory of mind and school achievement: The mediating role of social competence.Cognitive Development. 2017;44:85-97. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.010Richardson H, Lisandrelli G, Riobueno-Naylor A, Saxe R.Development of the social brain from age three to twelve years.Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):1027. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03399-2Jones CRG, Simonoff E, Baird G, et al.The association between theory of mind, executive function, and the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.Autism Res.2018;11(1):95-109. doi:10.1002/aur.1873Baron-Cohen S.The Autistic Child’s Theory of Mind: a Case of Specific Developmental Delay.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1989;30(2):285-97. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00241.xNg R, Fish S, Granholm E.Insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia.Psychiatry Research. 2015;225(1-2):169-174. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.010Sprong M, Schothorst P, Vos E, Hox J, Van Engeland H.Theory of mind in schizophrenia.British Journal of Psychiatry.2007l;191(1):5–13. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.107.035899Additional ReadingEstes D, Bartsch K.Theory of mind: A foundational component of human general intelligence.Behav Brain Sci.2017;40:e201. doi:10.1017/S0140525X16001618
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Schaafsma SM, Pfaff DW, Spunt RP, Adolphs R.Deconstructing and reconstructing theory of mind.Trends Cogn Sci (Regul Ed).2015;19(2):65-72. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.11.007Thompson RB, Thornton B.Gender and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers’ Group Effort: Evidence for Timing Differences Behind Children’s Earliest Social Loafing.The Journal of Social Psychology. 2014;154(6):475-479. doi:10.1080/00224545.2014.933763Shahaeian A, Nielsen M, Peterson CC, Slaughter V.Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development: A Comparison of Australian and Iranian School-Age Children.Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 2014;45(4):555-568. doi:10.1177/0022022113513921Calero CI, Salles A, Semelan M, Sigman M.Age and gender dependent development of Theory of Mind in 6- to 8-years old children.Fron Human Neuroscience.2013;7:281. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00281Scott RM, Baillargeon R.Early False-Belief Understanding.Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2017;21(4):237-249. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2017.01.012Wellman HM, Fuxi F, Peterson CC.Sequential Progressions in a Theory-of-Mind Scale: Longitudinal Perspectives.Child Dev.2012;82(3):780-792. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01583.xDumontheil I, Apperly IA, Blakemore SJ.Online usage of theory of mind continues to develop in late adolescence.Dev. Sci.2010;13:331-338. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00888.xLecce S, Caputi M, Pagnin A, Banerjee R.Theory of mind and school achievement: The mediating role of social competence.Cognitive Development. 2017;44:85-97. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.010Richardson H, Lisandrelli G, Riobueno-Naylor A, Saxe R.Development of the social brain from age three to twelve years.Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):1027. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03399-2Jones CRG, Simonoff E, Baird G, et al.The association between theory of mind, executive function, and the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.Autism Res.2018;11(1):95-109. doi:10.1002/aur.1873Baron-Cohen S.The Autistic Child’s Theory of Mind: a Case of Specific Developmental Delay.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1989;30(2):285-97. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00241.xNg R, Fish S, Granholm E.Insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia.Psychiatry Research. 2015;225(1-2):169-174. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.010Sprong M, Schothorst P, Vos E, Hox J, Van Engeland H.Theory of mind in schizophrenia.British Journal of Psychiatry.2007l;191(1):5–13. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.107.035899
Schaafsma SM, Pfaff DW, Spunt RP, Adolphs R.Deconstructing and reconstructing theory of mind.Trends Cogn Sci (Regul Ed).2015;19(2):65-72. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.11.007
Thompson RB, Thornton B.Gender and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers’ Group Effort: Evidence for Timing Differences Behind Children’s Earliest Social Loafing.The Journal of Social Psychology. 2014;154(6):475-479. doi:10.1080/00224545.2014.933763
Shahaeian A, Nielsen M, Peterson CC, Slaughter V.Cultural and Family Influences on Children’s Theory of Mind Development: A Comparison of Australian and Iranian School-Age Children.Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 2014;45(4):555-568. doi:10.1177/0022022113513921
Calero CI, Salles A, Semelan M, Sigman M.Age and gender dependent development of Theory of Mind in 6- to 8-years old children.Fron Human Neuroscience.2013;7:281. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00281
Scott RM, Baillargeon R.Early False-Belief Understanding.Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2017;21(4):237-249. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2017.01.012
Wellman HM, Fuxi F, Peterson CC.Sequential Progressions in a Theory-of-Mind Scale: Longitudinal Perspectives.Child Dev.2012;82(3):780-792. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01583.x
Dumontheil I, Apperly IA, Blakemore SJ.Online usage of theory of mind continues to develop in late adolescence.Dev. Sci.2010;13:331-338. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00888.x
Lecce S, Caputi M, Pagnin A, Banerjee R.Theory of mind and school achievement: The mediating role of social competence.Cognitive Development. 2017;44:85-97. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.010
Richardson H, Lisandrelli G, Riobueno-Naylor A, Saxe R.Development of the social brain from age three to twelve years.Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):1027. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03399-2
Jones CRG, Simonoff E, Baird G, et al.The association between theory of mind, executive function, and the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.Autism Res.2018;11(1):95-109. doi:10.1002/aur.1873
Baron-Cohen S.The Autistic Child’s Theory of Mind: a Case of Specific Developmental Delay.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1989;30(2):285-97. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00241.x
Ng R, Fish S, Granholm E.Insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia.Psychiatry Research. 2015;225(1-2):169-174. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.010
Sprong M, Schothorst P, Vos E, Hox J, Van Engeland H.Theory of mind in schizophrenia.British Journal of Psychiatry.2007l;191(1):5–13. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.107.035899
Estes D, Bartsch K.Theory of mind: A foundational component of human general intelligence.Behav Brain Sci.2017;40:e201. doi:10.1017/S0140525X16001618
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