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From Theory of Mind to Theory of Environment: Counterfactual Simulation of Latent Environmental Dynamics

Ryutaro Uchiyama

TL;DR

This paper addresses how humans achieve behavioral innovation in environments with dense hidden action-outcome contingencies by proposing Theory of Environment (ToE) grounded in Theory of Mind computations. It introduces a $2\times 2$ typology of social goal inference and positions ToE as an open-ended counterfactual search for latent environmental dynamics that requires actual exploration beyond the in-distribution constraints of ToM and imitation. The central claim is that ToE, by leveraging counterfactual generation to expand motor exploration dimensionality, can facilitate skill acquisition in rich, latent environments. This socio-cultural framework reframes exploration in cultural evolution as driven by cues about teleological depth, with implications for understanding human cognitive and motor innovation.

Abstract

The vertebrate motor system employs dimensionality-reducing strategies to limit the complexity of movement coordination, for efficient motor control. But when environments are dense with hidden action-outcome contingencies, movement complexity can promote behavioral innovation. Humans, perhaps uniquely, may infer the presence of hidden environmental dynamics from social cues, by drawing upon computational mechanisms shared with Theory of Mind. This proposed "Theory of Environment" supports behavioral innovation by expanding the dimensionality of motor exploration.

From Theory of Mind to Theory of Environment: Counterfactual Simulation of Latent Environmental Dynamics

TL;DR

This paper addresses how humans achieve behavioral innovation in environments with dense hidden action-outcome contingencies by proposing Theory of Environment (ToE) grounded in Theory of Mind computations. It introduces a typology of social goal inference and positions ToE as an open-ended counterfactual search for latent environmental dynamics that requires actual exploration beyond the in-distribution constraints of ToM and imitation. The central claim is that ToE, by leveraging counterfactual generation to expand motor exploration dimensionality, can facilitate skill acquisition in rich, latent environments. This socio-cultural framework reframes exploration in cultural evolution as driven by cues about teleological depth, with implications for understanding human cognitive and motor innovation.

Abstract

The vertebrate motor system employs dimensionality-reducing strategies to limit the complexity of movement coordination, for efficient motor control. But when environments are dense with hidden action-outcome contingencies, movement complexity can promote behavioral innovation. Humans, perhaps uniquely, may infer the presence of hidden environmental dynamics from social cues, by drawing upon computational mechanisms shared with Theory of Mind. This proposed "Theory of Environment" supports behavioral innovation by expanding the dimensionality of motor exploration.
Paper Structure (2 sections, 1 figure)

This paper contains 2 sections, 1 figure.

Table of Contents

  1. The problem of behavioral innovation
  2. A four-fold typology of social goal inference

Figures (1)

  • Figure 1: Four modalities of social goal inference, identifying structural variation along two representational dimensions: (a) factive vs. counterfactual, pertaining to the omission/use of counterfactual simulation; and (b) in- vs. out-of-distribution, pertaining to the scope of goal inference -- either bounded or unbounded by a current known hypothesis space.