The field of study in which developmentalists study what infants and children understand about other people's intentions, desires, beliefs, feelings, and so on is referred to as theory of mind.
The term 'theory of mind' was coined by US psychologist David Premack in a famous article (Premack and Woodruff 1978) .
It denotes the ability to recognize and attribute mental states — thoughts, perceptions, desires, intentions, feelings.