Five-year-olds who were surprised to discover that a Band-Aids box contained pencils were able to anticipate their friend's false belief about the contents of the box. This best illustrates that the children had developed a

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The ability to understand that others can have beliefs that differ from one's own is termed as theory of mind. The ability of the five-year-olds to anticipate their friend's false belief about the contents of the box suggests that they had developed a theory of mind. Option A, secure attachment, refers to the emotional bond between an infant and their caregiver. Option B, object permanence, refers to the understanding that objects exist even when they are not in sight. Option D, conservation, refers to the understanding that the properties of an object remain the same even when its shape or arrangement changes. None of these concepts could explain the five-year-olds' ability to anticipate their friend's false belief.

Five-Year-Olds Who Were Surprised to Discover That a Band-Aids Box