Developmental Essay - Theory of Mind

Theory of mind refers to the basic understanding that most people have of how the mind works and how it influences behaviour. The following essay will begin by discussing how the theory of mind has stemmed from naïve psychology, and how the theory of mind develops in a child and proposals of what actually causes this development. I will then conclude by discussing the implications that occur for children who have a delay in the development of the theory of mind.

Firstly, naïve psychology is the idea surrounding the common sense understanding that most people have about themselves and others, and it is generally evident in a child from around age 3. It is based on three main ideas that people have to understand human behaviour which are; desires (what do people want), actions (what do people do) and beliefs (what do people think). From around the age of 2 children begin to show a level of understanding of the self and of intensions. That is, they are able to understand that peoples desires can cause them to act in a certain way, and they show signs of being about to recognize themselves, for example in a mirror, or in a photograph.

This increasingly sophisticated understanding of the self and other people continues to develop between the approximate ages of 2 and 5, though growth of play, which is where children start to pursue activities without any motivation other than their own enjoyment, and through the increasing understanding of how people’s minds work. This is the basis for the idea behind the theory of mind.

The definition of the theory of mind is the ‘awareness of how mental states such as memories, beliefs, desires and intentions govern the behaviour of the self and others.’ Theory of mind develops in a child between the ages of 2 to 5. A crucial step in its development is gaining an understanding about people’s desires and their specific actions. This typically emerges at the end of the first year of life. By age 2, toddlers also typically have a well-established understanding that peoples desires lead to actions. For example, children are able to predict that a character in a story will act in accordance to their own desires, even if it is contradictory to the child’s own desires. Although a 2 year old child can understand that desires can influence behaviour, they are yet to understand that beliefs can as well.

So far, I have described the development of the theory of mind, but these do not explain what actually causes the development and improvement of the theory of mind. Three ideas were proposed as being essential to the development, which are as follows: