theory of mind

or The·o·ry of Mind

[ thee-uh-ree uhv mahynd, theer-ee ]

noun

, Psychology, Philosophy.

1. the ability to interpret one’s own and other people’s mental and emotional states, understanding that each person has unique motives, perspectives, etc. : ToM, TOM

Word History and Origins

Origin of theory of mind¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

It's not entirely a trivial question, either and has interesting implications for canine intelligence, including the so-called theory of mind.

From Salon

Some people lose what psychologists call theory of mind—that is, the ability to comprehend that other people have minds and mental states just like they do.

From Scientific American

Related: Scientists are discussing if A.I. chatbots have developed theory of mind.

From New York Times

Theory of mind helps us communicate with and understand one another; it allows us to enjoy literature and movies, play games and make sense of our social surroundings.

From New York Times

Dr. Gopnik compared the theory of mind of large language models to her own understanding of general relativity.

From New York Times