title: Deconstructing and reconstructing theory of mind.
abstract: Usage of the term 'theory of mind' (ToM) has exploded across fields ranging from developmental psychology to social neuroscience and psychiatry research. However, its meaning is often vague and inconsistent, its biological bases are a subject of debate, and the methods used to study it are highly heterogeneous. Most crucially, its original definition does not permit easy downward translation to more basic processes such as those studied by behavioral neuroscience, leaving the interpretation of neuroimaging results opaque. We argue for a reformulation of ToM through a systematic two-stage approach, beginning with a deconstruction of the construct into a comprehensive set of basic component processes, followed by a complementary reconstruction from which a scientifically tractable concept of ToM can be recovered.
authors.affiliation: The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schaafsma
authors.affiliation: The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.affiliation: California Institute Of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Spunt
authors.affiliation: California Institute Of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. Electronic address: radolphs@hss.caltech.edu.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adolphs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology