Psychological Development and Education ›› 2008, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (3): 1-8.

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From Pretense to Representative Theory of Mind: Effect of Pretense-Understanding Training

DENG Ci-ping1, LIU Ming2   

  1. 1. Department of Psychology, East China Normal University;
    2. Department of Special Education, East China Normal University Shanghai 200062
  • Online:2008-07-15 Published:2008-07-15

Abstract: The possible developmental relations between pretend play and theory of mind (ToM),and the possible influence of pretense training experience on young children's development of ToM were investigated in the study.The study consisted of two experiments.In experiment 1,the performances in standard ToM tasks and in ToM tasks in nested in pretend context in 60 children aged 3 4 were examined and compared.It showed that young children's memory of formerly pretense was better than their memory of formerly belief,but the immediately facilitating effect of pretense context on children's performance in ToM tasks was not found.In experiment 2,21 young children who failed in the standard ToM tasks received 2 weeks' pretense training,and then participated in ToM tasks with different materials.It showed that,compared with controlled group of children who received only language form training,pretense training enhanced young children's performance on ToM tasks.Thus,it seemed that pretend play might pave the way for ToM development.

Key words: theory of mind, pretense context, pretense experience, false belief understanding, training transfer

CLC Number: 

  • B844.1
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