Developmental continuity between social-cognitive skills at age 2 and false belief understanding at age 4

Abstract

A number of studies have examined the developmental continuity between early social-cognitive skills present in infancy and later theory of mind (ToM). However, less is known about the relation between social-cognitive skills present at age 2 and false belief understanding that emerges around 4 to 5 years of age. The present longitudinal study examined the predictive relation between visual perspective taking, pretend play, and internal state language at age 2, and false belief understanding at age 4 in 82 children. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that children’s Level-1 visual perspective taking ability at age 2 was a significant, unique predictor of false belief understanding at age 4, after controlling for verbal ability and executive functioning.