Sanjida O’Connell
Mindreading
Did you know that it is much easier to detect lying in a stranger than with someone you’ve known for a very long time? That if any animal is staring at you it can only mean one of three things: it either wants to fight, feed, or mate with you? How we react to one another socially is the most important aspect of our lives. Without a Theory of Mind, we could not predict what others are likely to do, feel or believe; we could not love, lie, cheat, communicate or develop mature relationships. Yet there are those who have no understanding of how other people think and feel: young children, autistics, and people with a rare disorder known as Asperger’s syndrome. Research indicates that great apes and possibly dolphins may possess an awareness of other beings’ minds and be able to adapt accordingly.