Thommen, Évelyne <br/><br/>
Understanding of others in typical and atypical development: The case of autism 

 -  2017.<br/>							 
<br/><br/> 62 
<br/><br/> The theories of mind employed by children to understand others have been widely studied since the 1980s. As they get older, children become increasingly adept at attributing mental states to others as a means to understand and predict their behavior. Our paper examines this process, discussing early research and current developments in the field. The problems encountered by autistic children in social interactions are analyzed in terms of problems with their Theory of Mind. Data on visual attention in people with autism have prompted discussion of early abilities to take account of the knowledge of others so as to anticipate their behavior. Longitudinal data on the development of theories of mind corroborate the idea that theories of the mind can be learned. The research therefore suggests we should develop support to help children improve their understanding of others.