The modularity of theory of mind

Abstract

Normal adult human beings are good psychologists. They can explain and, to an extent, predict their own and other people's actions on the basis of a battery of psychological concepts: perception, desire, belief, fear, wonder, doubt, and so on. Let us call the seat of these psychological abilities the 'psychology faculty'. The psychology faculty has been the focus of a great deal of research in experimental, theoretical and developmental cognitive psychology, as well as a fair amount of philosophy.