Five-year-old Danice lies and tells her mother that the dog knocked over the broken lamp so that her mother won't be angry at her.Danice is demonstrating

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Danice is demonstrating a theory of mind by understanding that her mother has beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from her own. She knows her mother will be upset about the broken lamp and uses this understanding to fabricate a story to influence her mother's emotions and reactions. This indicates she can attribute mental states to others, a key aspect of theory of mind.

Five-Year-Old Danice Lies and Tells Her Mother That the Dog