A 3-year-old and a 5-year-old watch Megan and Danika hide a cookie in a yellow box. They then watch Megan leave and Danika move the cookie to a blue box. When asked where Megan will look for the cookie, __________.
A) both children will most likely say, "the yellow box"
B) both children will most likely say, "the blue box"
C) the older child will say, "the yellow box"; the younger child will say, "the blue box"
D) the younger child will say, "the yellow box"; the older child will say, "the blue box"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This question relates to the concept of theory of mind, which is the ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from one's own. By the age of 5, most children have developed a more mature theory of mind and can understand that Megan would still believe the cookie is in the yellow box because she did not see it being moved. A 3-year-old, however, might not yet fully grasp this concept and might assume that everyone knows the cookie is now in the blue box, reflecting their own knowledge rather than understanding Megan's perspective.

A 3-Year-Old and a 5-Year-Old Watch Megan and Danika Hide