Theory of Mind

Have you ever said, "You've read my mind?"

We do this all the time—theorize about what is in the minds of others.

This cognitive ability to infer the intentions, thoughts and emotions of others is termed by scientists theory of mind.

I know what you're thinking....

Each and every one of us has a theory of mind. We use it to make sense of and predict behaviour. It's theory of mind that makes language possible, and story-telling, too. Anything where you have to get inside another's head.

Theory of mind evolved in primates before our split from the most recent ancestor, but it is most well-developed in humans. Jesse Bering, in The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny and the Meaning Of Life, puts theory of mind front and centre in the evolution of religion. He posits that theist religions are late by-products of theory of mind. After all, they require you know what is in the minds of gods.

To read about the importance and evolution of theory of mind, visit: Evolution of a Theory of Mind