Center for Advanced Study The Fifth Chancellor's CAS Special Lecture "Making Sense of Others' Actions: Psychological Reasoning in Infancy"

• Event Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
• Time: 7:30 pm (CST)
• Location: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
• Cost: Free Admission

• Talk

Renée Baillargeon
Alumni Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Beginning in the first year of life, infants attempt to make sense of others' intentional actions. For example, when watching their mother act on objects, infants take into account her goals, dispositions, perceptions, and beliefs to interpret and predict her actions. Although the nature and development of early psychological reasoning remain the subjects of intense controversy, the notion that infants already possess some understanding of intentional action is becoming widely accepted.

Museum visitors are reminded that food and drinks are not allowed in the Museum. Backpacks and other large items brought to the Museum will have to be stored; there is limited locker storage space available for these items.