Paul Harris (author)

Paul Harris is a British developmental psychologist and author known for his research on children's understanding of imagination, emotion, belief, and counterfactual reasoning. His work explores how children distinguish between reality and fantasy, and how they develop an understanding of other people's minds (Theory of Mind).

Harris held a Professorship of Education at Harvard University, where he conducted extensive research on cognitive development. He has published numerous academic papers and books on the topic, contributing significantly to the field of developmental psychology.

His research often involves experimental studies with young children, exploring their ability to reason about hypothetical situations, understand the emotional states of others, and recognize the difference between what is real and what is imagined. He has also investigated how children learn from testimony and how they evaluate the reliability of different sources of information.

His publications include notable works such as "The Work of the Imagination" (2000), which provides a comprehensive overview of the role of imagination in cognitive development.