Abstract

The aim of this review is to present the main results on mental state talk, considered as an ecological index of the theory of mind. Recent studies and theoretical approaches considered the correct use of inner states words not only a linguistic but also a meta representational skill. In this direction, many studies showed that the frequency of use and the exposure to inner states terms within families are associated to false belief performance. Moreover, contributes stressing how mental state talk varies according to the specific conversational partner are considered. Finally, future research directions are presented.