THEORY OF MIND CONCEPTS IN CHILDRENS-LITERATURE

Authors
CASSIDY KW BALL LV ROURKE MT WERNER RS FEENY N CHU JY LUTZ DJ PERKINS A
Citation
Kw. Cassidy et al., THEORY OF MIND CONCEPTS IN CHILDRENS-LITERATURE, Applied psycholinguistics, 19(3), 1998, pp. 463-470
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Language & Linguistics","Psychology, Experimental
Journal title
Applied psycholinguistics → ACNP
ISSN journal
01427164
Volume
19
Issue
3
Year of publication
1998
Pages
463 - 470
Database
ISI
SICI code
0142-7164(1998)19:3<463:TOMCIC>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
This study examined whether books that are typically read to preschool children contain theory of mind concepts. The parents of 47 preschool children recorded books read by or to their child over a one-week per iod. The books were analyzed for theory of mind content. It was found that 78% of the books contained internal state language, 34% contained false beliefs, and 43% contained personality descriptors. Thus, theor y of mind concepts appear to be an integral part of the literature rea d to preschool children. These results are discussed in light of recen t work on individual differences in theory of mind development.