title: Theory of mind and relational complexity.
abstract: Cognitive complexity and control theory and relational complexity theory attribute developmental changes in theory of mind (TOM) to complexity. In 3 studies, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds performed TOM tasks (false belief, appearance-reality), less complex connections (Level 1 perspective-taking) tasks, and transformations tasks (understanding the effects of location changes and colored filters) with content similar to TOM. There were also predictor tasks at binary-relational and ternary-relational complexity levels, with different content. Consistent with complexity theories: (a) connections and transformations were easier and mastered earlier than TOM; (b) predictor tasks accounted for more than 80% of age-related variance in TOM; and (c) ternary-relational items accounted for TOM variance, before and after controlling for age and binary-relational items. Prediction did not require hierarchically structured predictor tasks.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, Australia. g.andrews@griffith.gu.edu.au
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Graeme S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Halford
authors.forename: Katie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bunch
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003118:Color Perception; D032882:Comprehension; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009903:Optical Illusions; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D011340:Problem Solving; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011936:Reality Testing