How self-other control determines individual differences in adolescents’ theory of mind

Abstract

Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to infer others’ mental states, undergoes an ongoing development from adolescence to early adulthood. The present study investigated how self-other control (SOC), the ability to distinguish self- and other-related representations, contributed to individual differences in false-belief inference (a common measure of ToM) in young adults (Study 1) and adolescents (Study 2). Although previous studies have suggested that inhibitory control (IC), the ability to suppress own prepotent responses to help overcome egocentricity, is a crucial determinant to the development of ToM, the present results showed that in both samples, SOC worked as a moderator on the effect of IC when participants inferred others’ false beliefs. Specifically, IC predicted the performance of false-belief inference only in participants with higher SOC. These findings indicate that apart from IC, SOC is also an indispensable determinant to individual differences in ToM of both young adults and adolescents. In addition, the ability to integrate SOC and IC may play an essential role in the development of adolescents’ ToM.