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Developmental parallels in understanding minds and bodies.
1Department of Psychology and Center for Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, 152 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. aleslie@ruccs.rutgers.edu
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|August 30, 2005
Summary
Fifteen-month-old infants demonstrate false belief attribution, supporting the theory of mind developing early. This challenges previous understandings of infant cognitive development and reasoning abilities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The development of "theory of mind" (ToM) in infants is crucial for understanding social cognition.
- Previous research suggested ToM, including false belief attribution, emerges later in childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether 15-month-old infants can attribute false beliefs to others.
- To examine the implications of early false belief attribution for the maturation of neurocognitive mechanisms underlying ToM.
Main Methods:
- The study by Onishi and Baillargeon presented evidence on infant performance in a false belief task.
- Analysis focused on 15-month-old infants' responses to assess their understanding of others' mental states.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests 15-month-old infants can attribute false beliefs.
- These findings challenge the timeline for the emergence of ToM and related cognitive abilities.
Conclusions:
- Infants may possess rudimentary "theory of mind" capabilities earlier than previously thought.
- The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of the developmental trajectory of mental state attribution.
- Parallels exist between infant false belief tasks and reasoning about physical properties.