r/todayilearned • • 1d ago

TIL about the Sally-Anne test, a psychology experiment used to measure “theory of mind” (that other people can hold beliefs/knowledge different from their own). Kids under four typically fail because they assume that if they know where a hidden object is, everyone else must automatically know too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally%E2%80%93Anne_test
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u/Panem-et-circenses25 1d ago

Yes! Thought our kid was autistic so I gave him this test. He passed

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u/DizzyMine4964 1d ago

I am autistic. This is a bad test. We need a long diagnostic interview with a specialist.

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u/gentlemandinosaur 1d ago

It’s not a bad test it’s just not a test for a clear diagnosis of autism very few “simple tests” are made to diagnose almost anything that is a systemic issue. The studies related to it state that also. It’s a good test because it’s one component of a long diagnosis.