You tell a 3-year-old girl the following story: "Ellen hides her jewelry in an ice-cream container in the freezer so that if burglars break into the house, they will not find these very special pieces." If you ask the 3-year-old girl where a burglar would look for the jewelry, what would she typically say?
A) In the freezer
B) In the jewelry box
C) In the safe
D) In the garbage with the ice cream

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At the age of 3, children's theory of mind is still developing, meaning they might not yet understand that others can have beliefs or knowledge different from their own. Therefore, after hearing the story, a 3-year-old is likely to say the burglar would look in the freezer for the jewelry because that's where they were told it was hidden, not considering that the burglar wouldn't have this information.

You Tell a 3-Year-Old Girl the Following Story: "Ellen Hides