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Why we assume it's all good: The role of theory of mind in early inherent feature inferences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2014

Karen Bartsch
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3415. bartsch@uwyo.eduhttp://www.uwyo.edu/psychology/faculty/bartsch.htmlestes@uwyo.eduhttp://www.uwyo.edu/psychology/faculty/estes.html
David Estes
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3415. bartsch@uwyo.eduhttp://www.uwyo.edu/psychology/faculty/bartsch.htmlestes@uwyo.eduhttp://www.uwyo.edu/psychology/faculty/estes.html

Abstract

Cimpian & Salomon's (C&S's) characterization of a domain-general inherence heuristic, available to young children, underplays the importance of our early interest in and recognition of agency, intentionality, and mental life. A consideration of the centrality of desires, goals, and agency in our earliest reasoning suggests an alternative, perhaps complementary, account of our tendency to be satisfied with the status quo.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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