Media and Theory of Mind

Abstract

Theory of mind (ToM) involves the set of skills that helps us understand the mental states of other people. These skills are crucial because understanding what other people are thinking helps us to anticipate their motivations and subsequent actions. Research on the development of ToM suggests that this set of skills develops most rapidly during the preschool years (ages 3–5) but continues through childhood and adolescence as children become more skillful in understanding the subtlety and complexity of other people's mental states. There are two main factors that facilitate the development of ToM skills: neurological development (e.g., the maturation of the prefrontal cortex) and environmental factors (e.g., parent communication with the child about mental states and children's pretend play). In addition to these factors, recent studies suggest that the media may play a role in shaping children's ToM development and/or engagement with media. This entry introduces readers to the concepts underlying ToM and offers a brief overview of how ToM develops in children. It then explores how ToM is associated with media use. The entry examines the links between media use and ToM development, the possible effect of engagement with media on ToM abilities, and how ToM influences one's ability to interpret persuasive messages—specifically, commercial advertisements—which typically contain appeals that are difficult to discern among populations with less developed ToM abilities.