Theory of mind, including theory of mind as an explanation for autism
Theory of mind is the ability to understand that other people have their own thoughts, beliefs, and feelings that differ from your own. Researchers use it to explain some of the social difficulties seen in autism.
Real World
When actor Anthony Hopkins described his experience of autism, he explained that he had to learn social rules consciously as scripts — precisely because theory of mind did not come automatically, he analysed others' behaviour analytically rather than intuitively.
Exam Focus
Distinguish between theory of mind as an explanation and a deficit — state that autistic individuals may lack spontaneous ToM, not social interest or intelligence.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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