Many studies have examined theory of mind (ToM) abilities in adolescence, but none appears to have tested them in real interactive settings. To address this gap, we assessed advanced ToM abilities using a referential communication task in which pairs of participants had to order unfamiliar and abstract figures without seeing each other. The ratio of number of indefinite markers (IND) to total number of words used decreased across trials suggests that advanced ToM abilities are already present at the onset of adolescence, from the age of 11 onwards. Adolescents, like adults, benefit from their interlocutor’s feedback during conversation. Some intriguing gender differences emerged among the youngest adolescents, to be clarified in further research.
Images adapted from
Clara Grégoire, Stéphane Rauzy & Maud Champagne-Lavau.
Development of Advanced Theory of Mind Abilities During Adolescence:
Prosocial Behavior and Presence of a Real Interlocutor Matter
In Journal of Adolescence, 2026 – @HAL