Evaluating A Novel Online Test Instrument For Measuring Theory Of Mind In Adulthood

The ability to reason about mental states such as beliefs, desires and intentions (Theory of Mind/ToM) advances strikingly in early childhood. However, little is known about how this ability changes over the rest of the lifespan, including when peak performance is reached, and whether it declines in older adulthood. The lack of an appropriate test instrument presents a significant barrier to studying ToM in adulthood. Tests used to evaluate children are too easy, but many tests intended for adults have been criticised for not requiring representation of mental states. Others involve complex stimuli or are subjective to score, making them impractical for large-scale use. In this project we will evaluate novel test materials designed to measure ToM performance in adults. Testing across the adult lifespan (20-79 years), we will evaluate the test’s reliability and its validity. We intend to make the data and test materials available as a research resource.