Abstract
In the past three decades, psychologists have become increasingly interested in the study of theory of mind. This ability
involves an understanding of different components of the mind (e.g., emotions, thoughts, beliefs) and of how they are related
to human behavior. Several parents’ characteristics (e.g., attachment, mental-state talk) have been associated to children’s
theory-of-mind development, but the variables and methods adopted are diverse and at times lead to inconsistent findings.
The goal of the present paper, therefore, is to provide a literature review that can point both to possible ways in which
discrepancies might be overcome and to promising research directions. Our review covers 78 research reports published in English
between 1980 and 2011. Only empirical studies, using children as participants, were included in the review. Three main suggestions
are offered for researchers, parents and practitioners on how to nurture young children’s understanding of mind: (a) to treat
children as intentional agents, acting in a sensitive and responsive fashion to their mental states; (b) to speak to children
about mental states in an elaborate and connected way, pointing out their causes and consequences, and explaining that these
may be different for different people; and (c) to expose children to a wide range of emotions while being careful to not express
over-frequent and inconsistent negative affect. One limitation of the present review, however, is that we do not look into
how parental practices interact with certain individual characteristics of the child (e.g., personality, IQ and language skills).
Future research should explore the multifaceted nature of these relationships and interactions.
involves an understanding of different components of the mind (e.g., emotions, thoughts, beliefs) and of how they are related
to human behavior. Several parents’ characteristics (e.g., attachment, mental-state talk) have been associated to children’s
theory-of-mind development, but the variables and methods adopted are diverse and at times lead to inconsistent findings.
The goal of the present paper, therefore, is to provide a literature review that can point both to possible ways in which
discrepancies might be overcome and to promising research directions. Our review covers 78 research reports published in English
between 1980 and 2011. Only empirical studies, using children as participants, were included in the review. Three main suggestions
are offered for researchers, parents and practitioners on how to nurture young children’s understanding of mind: (a) to treat
children as intentional agents, acting in a sensitive and responsive fashion to their mental states; (b) to speak to children
about mental states in an elaborate and connected way, pointing out their causes and consequences, and explaining that these
may be different for different people; and (c) to expose children to a wide range of emotions while being careful to not express
over-frequent and inconsistent negative affect. One limitation of the present review, however, is that we do not look into
how parental practices interact with certain individual characteristics of the child (e.g., personality, IQ and language skills).
Future research should explore the multifaceted nature of these relationships and interactions.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Review Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10826-012-9643-8
- Authors
- Gabriela Pavarini, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Debora de Hollanda Souza, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
- Carol Kozak Hawk, Austin Community College, Austin, TX, USA
- Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-2843
- Print ISSN 1062-1024