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Cited by 246Child and Animal Learning DevelopmentHearing Impairment and CommunicationLanguage Development and Disorders

Language Promotes False-Belief Understanding: Evidence From Learners of a New Sign Language

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Pyers, Jennie E., Senghas, Ann·2009·Psychological Science
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02377.xPMC PMC2884962
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Abstract

Developmental studies have identified a strong correlation in the timing of language development and false-belief understanding. However, the nature of this relationship remains unresolved. Does language promote false-belief understanding, or does it merely facilitate development that could occur independently, albeit on a delayed timescale? We examined language development and false-belief understanding in deaf learners of an emerging sign language in Nicaragua. The use of mental-state vocabulary and performance on a low-verbal false-belief task were assessed, over 2 years, in adult and adolescent users of Nicaraguan Sign Language. Results show that those adults who acquired a nascent form of the language during childhood produce few mental-state signs and fail to exhibit false-belief understanding. Furthermore, those whose language developed over the period of the study correspondingly developed in false-belief understanding. Thus, language learning, over and above social experience, drives the development of a mature theory of mind.

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  • In humans, ToM may have emerged as a by-product of increasing language ability, as indicated by the high correlation between ToM and language aptitude, delayed ToM acquisition in people with minimal language exposure, and overlap in the brain regions responsible for both.

    “In fact, in humans, ToM may have emerged as a by-product of increasing language ability (4), as indicated by the high correlation between ToM and language aptitude, the delayed ToM acquisition in people with minimal language exposure (38), and the overlap in the brain regions responsible for both (39).”

    From Evaluating large language models in theory of mind tasks (2024) · cites this paper as [38]

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  • The gradual performance improvement suggests a connection with LLMs' language proficiency, which mirrors the pattern seen in humans.

    “The gradual performance improvement suggests a connection with LLMs’ language proficiency, which mirrors the pattern seen in humans (4, 38–41, 57).”

    From Evaluating large language models in theory of mind tasks (2024) · cites this paper as [38]

  • ToM has been shown to positively correlate with participating in family discussions and the use of and familiarity with words describing mental states.

    “ToM has been shown to positively correlate with participating in family discussions (40) and the use of and familiarity with words describing mental states (38, 41).”

    From Evaluating large language models in theory of mind tasks (2024) · cites this paper as [38]

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1 of the 31 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Gale E de Villiers P de Villiers J Pyers J 1996 Language and theory of mind in oral deaf children Stringfellow A Cahana-Amitay D Hughes E Zukowski A Proceedings of the 20th annual Boston University Conference on Language Development 1 213 224 Somerville, MA Cascadilla Press
  2. Pyers JE 2004 The relationship between language and false-belief understanding: Evidence from learners of an emerging sign language in Nicaragua University of California Berkeley Unpublished doctoral dissertation

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Authors
Pyers, J. E., & Senghas, A.
Affiliations
  • Wellesley College (US)
  • Columbia University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Psychological Science
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2009-07
Volume
20
Issue
7
Pages
805-812
ISSN
  • 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-9280
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02377.x
PMC
PMC2884962
OpenAlex
W1963693551
Cited by
245
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 10
FWCI
16.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte
  • National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH012848, 5F31MH12848-02)
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R01DC005407, R56DC005407, R01 DC05407)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Hearing Impairment and Communication
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
Keywords
false belief understanding, theory of mind, language development, Nicaraguan Sign Language, deaf children, emerging sign languages, social cognition, language and cognition
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Concept Formation, Critical Period, Psychological, Deafness, Humans, Language Development, Learning, Longitudinal Studies, Deception, Nicaragua, Sign Language, Task Performance and Analysis, Cohort Studies, Personal Construct Theory, Comprehension, Young Adult, Theory of Mind

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