An overactive form of pseudo-mentalizing manifests as a thinking pattern where individuals actively generate unfounded conclusions about others' mental states in a self-serving manner, without considering their accuracy and validity.

New York University

1. Intrusive pseudomentalizing
2. Overactive form of pseudomentalising
3. Destructively inaccurate pseudomentalising

Subtypes of Hypermentalizing

Duschinsky, R., & Foster, S. (2021). Mentalizing and epistemic trust: The work of Peter Fonagy and colleagues at the Anna Freud Centre. Oxford University Press.

5 Forms of Non-mentalizing (Duschinsky & Foster, 2021)

Intrusive pseudo-mentalizing stems from the need to reach a definitive and absolute conclusion regarding the mental states of self or others,  thus avoiding any obscurity or uncertainty. Individuals who engage in intrusive pseudo-mentalizing often draw intricate and complex conclusions about others' mental states upon the knowledge that may not apply to the context at hand. Conclusions derived from intrusive pseudo-mentalizing often lack qualification and are not supported by concrete evidence. When the validity of mentalizing content is questioned, individuals retrieve to non-mentalizing modes, possibly due to the frustration caused by the lack of reciprocation of their exhaustive mentalizing in achieving meaningful certainty, perceptive lucidity, and objective accuracy. 

Intrusive Pseudomentalizing

Overactive Form of Pseudomentalizing

Destructively inaccurate pseudo-mentalizing refers to the act of constructing a false narrative on oneself or others' mental states (e.g., emotions, thoughts, motivations, etc.) by rejecting or refusing to acknowledge objective facts that contradict or challenge an individual's personal or subjective interpretation of events or experiences. 

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