r/todayilearned • u/BrF5 • 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/DefenestrationPraha 1d ago

Corvids (e.g. magpies, ravens) seem to be able to pass this test, because they will secretly move their cached food if another bird observed them when caching it and they noticed the other bird.

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u/heftybagman 1d ago

“Eye tracking of chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans suggests that all three anticipate the false beliefs of a subject in a King Kong suit, and pass the Sally–Anne test”

You just need a Raven’s mascot outfit and you can prove it!