A child is told a story about Bobby, who puts his teddy bear under his bed and then goes outside to play. While he is gone, Bobby's mother comes in to clean his room, finds his teddy bear, and puts it in the closet. When asked where Bobby will look for his teddy bear when he returns, most 2- and 3-year olds will say that Bobby will look ____________, and most 4-year olds will say __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This question is related to the concept of theory of mind, which is the ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from one's own. Most 2- and 3-year-olds have not yet fully developed this ability, so they assume that Bobby will look where they know the teddy bear actually is (in the closet), not realizing that Bobby does not have this information. Most 4-year-olds, however, have developed a more advanced theory of mind and understand that Bobby will look where he last saw the teddy bear, which is under the bed.

A Child Is Told a Story About Bobby, Who Puts