ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the development of awareness and consciousness. It summarizes research on children’s understanding of various aspects of the mind, including its nature, organization, functioning, and functions in interpersonal relations. The child’s theory of mind receives particular attention as one of the most researched topics in psychology in the last three decades. Research on the development of self and self-understanding is also summarized. It is concluded that children understand the mind as different from reality from a very young age, although this understanding develops and becomes more refined. Theory of mind is just one aspect of this understanding. Overall, understanding of the mind relates to general processes allowing self-control and reasoning.
