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Psychology vocabulary · Developmental Psychology

Theory of mind

Meaning in psychology, with examples

nounCommon term

In psychology, theory of mind means: The ability to understand that other people have their own thoughts, beliefs, desires and intentions, which may differ from yours, and to use this to predict what they will do.

In Turkish: zihin kuramı

How it is used

Studied in developmental psychology with false-belief tasks such as the Sally-Anne test, which most children pass by around age four or five. It is also discussed in autism research and in social cognition.

Example sentences

  1. Three-year-olds usually fail the false-belief tasks used to test theory of mind.

  2. Theory of mind lets children understand that a friend can be fooled by a trick.

Common collocations

  • false-belief task
  • develop a theory of mind
  • theory of mind tasks
  • mentalising
  • autism spectrum disorderA neurodevelopmental condition with lasting differences in social communication and interaction, together with restricted or repetitive behaviours, interests or sensory responses.
  • object permanenceA baby's understanding that objects and people continue to exist even when they can no longer be seen, heard or touched.
  • cognitionThe mental processes we use to gain and use knowledge, such as thinking, remembering, paying attention, understanding language and solving problems.
  • developmental milestoneA skill that most children reach within a typical age range, such as smiling, sitting, walking or saying first words, used to track development.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Developmental Psychology

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.