I suggest a pluralistic account of folk psychology according to which not all predictions or explanations rely on the attribution
of mental states, and not all intentional actions are explained by mental states. This view of folk psychology is supported
by research in developmental and social psychology. It is well known that people use personality traits to predict behavior.
I argue that trait attribution is not shorthand for mental state attributions, since traits are not identical to beliefs or
desires, and an understanding of belief or desire is not necessary for using trait attributions. In addition, we sometimes
predict and explain behavior through appeal to personality traits that the target wouldn’t endorse, and so could not serve
as the target’s reasons. I conclude by suggesting that our folk psychology includes the notion that some behavior is explained
by personality traits—who the person is—rather than by beliefs and desires—what the person thinks. Consequences of this view
for the debate between simulation theory and theory theory, as well as the debate on chimpanzee theory of mind are discussed.
Keywords Folk psychology - Action theory - Belief attribution - Explanation - Prediction - Animal cognition - Developmental psychology - Social psychology - Simulation theory - Theory theory - Chimpanzee mind - Theory of mind