MENTAL MODEL · M2179

Theory of Mind, ToM

BehaviorHigh supportDevelopmental Psychology

Included

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

The ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and knowledge different from one's own. That is, "I know that you know that I know." Most children acquire this ability around age 4 after passing the "false belief test" (Sally-Anne Test). -

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

The core of perspective-taking. - Communication breakdowns often stem from a lack of ToM (assuming others know what you know). In AI, ToM is a key metric for assessing whether AI possesses "advanced intelligence"—it must not only answer questions but also infer the questioner's intent and knowledge gaps. In negotiation, stronger ToM enables better prediction of the opponent's position.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Humans have the ability to attribute "mental states" (beliefs, desires, intentions) to themselves and others, and to understand that others' beliefs may differ from reality. This ability emerges around age 4 through the "false belief task," relies on the default mode network and the temporoparietal junction, and is a prerequisite for social reasoning and communication.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

Before communicating, explicitly distinguish between "what I know" and "what the other person knows" (calibrate common ground)
In negotiations or collaborations, actively infer the other party's beliefs and intentions
Use "second-order beliefs" (he thinks that I know...) to predict reactions
In AI or products, design intent inference to reduce misunderstandings.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

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Source support: Explicit

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zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BF%83%E6%99%BA%E7%90%86%E8%AB%96ZH · Explicit
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