Development of Theory of Mind in Adults Between 18 and 94 Years of Age

Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to the ability to attribute beliefs, emotions, and intentions to oneself and others to predict and interpret behavior. This study examined ToM competence through participants’ interpretations of short stories depicting social scenarios that varied in mentalistic content and complexity, including first- and second-order false beliefs, irony, persuasion, and faux pas. The objective was to trace ToM development across adulthood using performance-based measures in 454 neurotypical adults aged 18–94, grouped by decade. Results indicated a moderate decline until approximately age 60, followed by a more pronounced reduction and increased interindividual variability after 70. Factor analysis suggested three components: (1) high-difficulty stories involving complex false beliefs and faux pas; (2) irony-based narratives; and (3) low-difficulty persuasive stories linked to social communication skills. The most substantial age-related differences emerged in the first component. Overall, ToM decline appeared to depend primarily on task difficulty and related cognitive demands.