ABSTRACT
We predict behaviour by attributing a combination of beliefs and desires. If Maxi wants his chocolate, and he thinks it is in the drawer, then (all other things being equal) he will go to the drawer. Most research in theory of mind has concerned beliefs and related phenomena, and desire has been relatively neglected. This may seem odd, because attributing desires is potentially much more useful. Beliefs are usually true, so they can usually be ignored. Instead, others’ behaviour can be predicted on the basis of objective reality. Children only need to consider belief in cases where the usually reliable belief-reality link has broken down. Desires, on the other hand, are idiosyncratic and constantly changing. Maxi may want his chocolate, but I want a beer, and shortly after I may want a curry. This means that some understanding of desire is essential for even very basic behaviour prediction.
