title: Beyond false belief: theory of mind in young, young-old, and old-old adults.
abstract: Theory of mind (ToM) refers to humans' ability to recognize the existence of mental states, such as beliefs, emotions, and desires. The literature on ToM in aging and on the relationship between ToM and other cognitive functions, like executive functions, is not homogenous. The aim of the present study was to explore the course of ToM and to investigate the role of working memory, inhibition, and language on the possible age differences in ToM. To address these issues, we examined ToM using the Strange Stories task and executive function task in three age groups. Results showed that young adults outperform both old groups on the ToM stories. This difference remains significant also when controlling for working memory and inhibitory control. Our findings suggest a specific impairment in inferring mental states starting from 60 years of age that seems to be independent of changes in executive functions.
authors.affiliation: University of Pavia, Italy. ecava@unipv.it
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecce
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bottiroli
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pagnin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001519:Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D003710:Demography; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D012107:Research Design; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D056345:Theory of Mind