Self and Others
Psychology 410
Prof. Bertram Malle
Winter 1999


Perceiving Behavior:
Intentionality and Intentions
(Feb 18)

Perceiving Behavior -- Major Issues

  1. The fundamental problem: perceive-respond-predict
  2. The human dimension: intentional action
  3. Folk concepts/theories vs. philosophical/scientific concepts and theories
  4. Children vs. adults

The Folk Concept of Intentionality

MALLE & KNOBE (1997)

  1. Agreement in judgments
  2. Components of the concept
  3. Various tests (belief + desire Ë intention; intention vs. intentionality; intention + skill + awareness Ë intentionality)

The Philosophical Analysis of Intentionality

MELE (1998)

  1. Subtle questions:
    • Is desire necessary?
    • Does intention require belief?
    • Can there be intentionality without intention?
    • How about probabilistic skill?
    • What exactly does awareness mean?
  2. Implications for morality

The Child's Theory of Mind

WELLMAN (1993)

  1. Why "theory"?
  2. Model: beliefs + desires -> action
  3. Sequence: desire concept before belief concept
  4. Precursors: emotion, gaze, 'agency'

Lacking a Theory of Mind

SARFATI ET AL. (1997)

  1. The wide range of uses (self and other)
  2. Problems in schizophrenia
  3. Problems in autism

Additional Links

A web page on adults' and children's folk theory of behavior and links to autism: click here.