Theory of mind and first- and second-order mental states / Teoria da mente e estados mentais de primeira e segunda ordem

• Main Authors: Antonio Roazzi, Suely de Melo Santana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2008-01-01
• Series: Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica
• Subjects: Theory of mind; linguistics expressions; first- and second-order mental states
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-79722008000300012&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt
• ISSN: 0102-7972; 1678-7153

This investigation aimed at studying the knowledge about the comprehension of first- and second-order mental states taking into account the influence of different linguistic expressions in the judgments produced by 113 children from low-socioeconomic background divided into four groups. Each group was controlled by gender and age (5- and 6-year-old) and took part in one of four conditions which involved two inanimate subjects (dolls) and answering a series of questions about mental and emotional states. Each condition consisted of four different verbal expressions involving first- and second-order types of questions: (C1) "search in the first place"; (C2) "search"; (C3) "think"; (C4) "hope to find". Analyses of the false belief questions revealed a main effect on age and type of question. The means of correct answers in the three types of false belief questions when compared indicated that the first-order false belief questions (37.80%) were easier than the two kinds of second-order type of questions (25.20% and 22.50%). These results are discussed in light of the previous results found in the literature, both concerning the influence of age, and the type of mental state and verbal expression involved.