Including deontic reasoning as fundamental to theory of mind

While recognizing major contributions of the contemporary theory-of-mind framework, we identify conceptual and cultural gaps with respect to its inattention to deontic considerations. The framework has tended to portray behavior as purely self-directed, thereby neglecting everyday reasoners' understanding of behavior as normatively based. However, in everyday reasoning, belief-desire (theory of mind) and obligation-permission (deontic) concerns interrelate. Moreover, both belief-desire reasoning and obligation-permission reasoning are early developing, universal, and inseparable in children's understanding of persons. Thus, for both conceptual and empirical reasons, deontic and mentalistic perspectives should be seen as interdependent and integrated in understanding theory of mind. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.