A question of perspective: Target- vs. perceiver-specific dimensions of mind perception

Abstract

Mind perception – the inference of mind in others – is foundational for social cognition and interaction, but previous research on its underlying dimensions has so far only produced mixed findings. In a prominent study, H.M. Gray et al. (2007) identified two dimensions of mind perception – Agency and Experience –, while more recent work instead suggests three dimensions similar to Body, Heart, and Mind (Malle, 2019; Weisman et al., 2017). Here, we provide a comprehensive account that can accommodate both dimensional structures by distinguishing target- from perceiver-specific dimensions of mind perception. These dimensions explain target- and perceiver-specific differences in mind perception that were differentially focused on by previous studies ascribing to the competing dimensional structures. To test our account empirically and compare target- vs. perceiver-specific dimensions, we gathered online survey data from two samples (N = 157, and N = 150). In both samples, exploratory factor analyses yielded two target-specific dimensions in line with Agency-Experience, and three perceiver-specific dimensions in line with Body-Heart-Mind, thereby validating our explanatory account. Further analyses showed that perceiver-specific dimensions are meaningfully associated with perceivers' demographics, personality, and spiritual belief; and that they depend on target context. Together, our results resolve inconsistencies in mind perception research and work toward a novel unifying mind perception framework.