In cognitive science, mindreading or theory-of-mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand others’ behavior in terms of hidden mental states like goals, beliefs, and emotions, as well as make inferences about those mental states. Classic proposals for cognitive mechanisms underlying theory-of-mind include simulation theory—the view that we introspect about our own mental processes to model others’ minds—and theory-theory—the view that we understand others by applying folk psychological generalizations about how minds work.
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