THEORY OF MIND

Iwas wondering if you could advise asto when a child should be able to pass a theory of mind test such as being able to work out that not everyone knows what he knows. I have read that 3 year olds cant do this and 4 year olds can but would you expect this to happen between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5? My son , nearly 4 still fails a test designed to test this.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Please don't be concerned if your son acts as if others are aware of what he's thinking. It's not as if children actually 'think about' this. It's more a matter of perspective. So, it's not at all unusual for four-year-olds and five-year-olds to launch into some conversation as if the person to whom they are speaking is aware of their point of reference. Developmental landmarks are not sharp boudaries, but rather broad spectrums whereupon the range of normal is not at all narrow. If your son, as would not be surprising, is making references about which you are not aware, simply ask him the relevant questions to clarify for you what he's talking about.