Question

Which of the following is/are the component(s) of Theory of Mind?

• A. Understanding that people can have false beliefs
• B. Distinguishing faces and smells
• C. Recognizing that others have mental states
• D. Having a vast vocabulary to express one’s thoughts

Hint:

Think “mind about minds”: if the option talks about {beliefs, desires, intentions} $\Rightarrow$ likely ToM; if it’s raw perception or language size, it’s not.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, C

Step 1: Recall what Theory of Mind (ToM) means.
ToM is the capacity to attribute {mental states} (beliefs, desires, intentions, knowledge) to oneself and others and to understand that others’ mental states can differ from one’s own and from reality.

Step 2: Evaluate options.
(A) True. Recognizing that people can hold {false beliefs} (e.g., Sally–Anne task) is a classic ToM benchmark. $\Rightarrow$ Component of ToM.
(B) False. Face/smell discrimination is perceptual processing, not mental-state reasoning. $\Rightarrow$ Not ToM.
(C) True. Identifying that others possess mental states is foundational to ToM. $\Rightarrow$ Component of ToM.
(D) False. Vocabulary can support communication, but a large lexicon is not itself a ToM component.
Conclusion: Only (A) and (C) are components of ToM.