Mentalization

Common card · No. 390093

In psychology, mentalization is the ability to understand the mental state – of oneself or others – that underlies overt behaviour. Mentalization can be seen as a form of imaginative mental activity that allows individuals to perceive and interpret human behaviour in terms of intentional mental states (e.g., needs, desires, feelings, beliefs, goals, purposes, and reasons). It is sometimes described as "understanding misunderstanding." Another term that David Wallin, clinical psychologist with a focus on attachment theory, has used for mentalization is "Thinking about thinking". Mentalization can occur either automatically or consciously.

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