ABSTRACT

Development of Deception BECKY L. SPRITZ, ART S. FERGUSSON, and SARAH M. BANKOFF

Much to learn, you still have.

Yoda, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Such is the case with children’s theory of mind in early childhood. In Chapter 5, we learned that the way children see the world undergoes dramatic transformations in early childhood, making it possible for them to view situations from alternate viewpoints. However, like the Jedi warriors from the Star Wars series, simply having special powers does not mean that one is a Jedi master. Viewing the world from another person’s perspective, and using that information to understand, predict, and act upon the world requires practice and maturation. In this chapter, we focus on two skills that directly build upon children’s basic perspective-taking abilities: understanding false beliefs and deception.