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Synopsis
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Chapter 6. Theory of Mind: False-Belief Task

Human Development Video Activity
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THEORY OF MIND: FALSE-BELIEF TASK

Estimated Completion Time:

Approximately 5 minutes.

Synopsis:

A key aspect in the development of a young child’s theory of mind is the ability to understand that other people’s behavior can be affected by their beliefs. The following clips show the false-belief task and illustrate the age-related differences in children’s understanding of the relation between false belief and behavior.

A key aspect in the development of a young child’s theory of mind is the ability to understand that other people’s behavior can be affected by their beliefs. Although most 3-year-olds have this basic ability, it is limited. For example, 3-year-olds often have difficulty understanding that a person will act in accordance with a belief that they themselves know to be incorrect. The following clips of a false-belief task illustrate the age-related differences in children’s understanding of the relation between false beliefs and behavior.

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1.

Although most 3-year-olds fail on false-belief tasks such as this one, many, as the text points out, can succeed on theory-of-mind tasks under certain conditions. What are those conditions and how do they facilitate the child’s understanding of false belief?
Many 3-year-olds are able to succeed on false-belief tasks if they are made collaborators in the deception that the task involves (such as secretly moving the block from one container to another). Being in the role of the deceiver apparently makes it easier for the child to see the situation from the point of view of the person upon whom the deception is being perpetrated.

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