Theory of Mind and Giftedness: New Connections

Abstract

The social and cognitive phenomena associated with theory of mind (ToM) and research on the social and cognitive qualities of giftedness have not been sufficiently connected. The common focus areas for ToM researchers (e.g., false-belief understanding, deception, and autism) should be of interest to gifted education research because these are interesting conceptualizations that could be helpful in better understanding gifted children's social interactions and friendships, and provide some guidance in classroom grouping. Except in a few studies, for example of perspective taking, ToM research has not studied identified gifted children. Perhaps this is because giftedness is usually formally assessed after the developmental periods at which it is typically studied. Including gifted children (academically, creatively, or otherwise) might help broaden the understanding of ToM variables and ensure that the key tasks do not have ceiling effects.