mindblindness
Cannot read others
Mindblindness is the inability to understand or intuit the mental states of others—their beliefs, intentions, desires, or emotions.
The term is used primarily in psychology and cognitive science to describe a core feature of autism spectrum conditions, where the typical human capacity for "theory of mind" is impaired or absent.
Someone with mindblindness may struggle to recognize that others have thoughts and perspectives different from their own.
His mindblindness made it difficult to anticipate how his comments would affect her.
Neurodevelopmental processing difference
- spectrumContinuous range of values
- neurodivergentHaving atypical brain function
- neurotypicalStandard cognitive wiring
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
trait · masking · accommodation · intervention · assessment · developmental
Inferring others' mental states
- perspective-takingUnderstanding another's viewpoint
- intentionalityPurposeful action quality
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
beliefs · desires · intentions · metacognition · understanding · recognition · interpretation · prediction
autism
Neurodevelopmental processing difference
- spectrumContinuous range of values
- neurodivergentHaving atypical brain function
- neurotypicalStandard cognitive wiring
diagnosis · trait · masking · accommodation · intervention · assessment · developmental
mentalizing
Inferring others' mental states
- perspective-takingUnderstanding another's viewpoint
- intentionalityPurposeful action quality
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
inference · beliefs · desires · intentions · metacognition · understanding · recognition · interpretation · prediction
mindblindnesstheory of mind
Attributing mental states to others
mentalizing · mindreading · cognitive empathy · folk psychology · metacognition
mindblindnessempathy
Sharing another's emotions
attunement · emotional intelligence · emotional resonance · rapport · fellow-feeling
mind, minds, minded, minding, mindful, mindfully, mindfulness, mindless, mindlessly