1. Psychology Press, 2007 Price £15

2. Connecting with other minds
The development of a very special human faculty

3. Definitions and background
To predict and explain behaviour by invoking abstract concepts like mind, desire, think, remember etc.
Associated abilities
Imagination
Communication (including deception)
Social coordination

4. Evolutionary origin and species specificity
How did it come to be that humans have a theory of mind?
The cognitive arms race!
The brain that became so powerful that it understood itself.
The development of self-concept.
Note: natural selection works at the level of the individual.
Why don’t rats have a theory of mind?
Are we capable of mindreading? Does it qualify as ESP?!

5. Individual differences and psychopathology
Do women have a better-developed theory of mind than men?
Is there anyone who does not have a theory of mind?
The perplexing case of autism and Asperger syndrome
The wild boy of Aveyron
Hugh Blair of Borge

6. Is this a topic that falls within the scope of experimental psychology?
How can we tell whether or not someone has a theory of mind?
We assume that people carry out actions to satisfy desires. They execute the actions on the supposition that their beliefs are true.
What’s wrong with a test of true belief?
What’s so good about a test of false belief?
Methodological
Theoretical

7. Unexpected transfer test
While Maxi is out playing, his Mum takes the chocolate from the cupboard and grates some of it into a cake.
Maxi is returning from play feeling hungry. He wants his chocolate.
Where will Maxi look for his chocolate?
Where did Maxi put his chocolate?
Where did Mum put his chocolate?

8. Deceptive box test Gets round criticisms that children had difficulty with story comprehension
What’s inside this tube?
What is it?
When you first saw this tube, before we opened it, what did you think was inside? (Gopnik & Astington, 1988)
What will your friend Johnny say is inside? (Perner et al, 1987)

9. Do apes have a theory of mind?

10. Where do they live?

11. What do they look like?

12. Psychology Press, 2007 Price £15