Have you heard of ‘theory of mind’? Sounds pretty deep but it’s actually very, very simple. It’s basically the understanding that other people know different things to you.
You might have noticed that it’s not a skill young toddlers possess!
For instance, if a three year old put your phone under a cushion when you weren’t looking, they would think you knew it was there.
Why? Because they know it’s there. But luckily, at around 4, children start to develop ‘theory of mind’ and understand that your experience is different from their own.
Amazingly, this change can be measured in children’s brains. Researchers recorded the brain activity of 4 to 6-year-old children while solving a puzzle.
In the puzzle, a cartoon character sees an animal hide in a box. The character then turns their back and the animal moves to a second box.
Children who understood that the character wouldn't know the animal had moved, showed increased activity in the part of the brain that deals with understanding of how others think.
You can encourage your little one to develop theory of mind, just by talking to them about what other people might feel and think. It’s really that easy!
'Theory of Mind' is the understanding that other people know different things to you… but when does your child learn this?
Until they gain Theory of Mind themselves, they might assume you're a mind reader - knowing everything they do!
Image caption, 'Theory of mind' is basically the understanding that other people know different things to you. You may have noticed that toddlers don't often have this knowledge - thinking you know all the things that they know.
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