In psychology, mentalization is the ability to understand the mental state, of oneself or others, that underlies overt behaviour.[1] Mentalization can be seen as a form of imaginative mental activity that lets us perceive and interpret human behaviour in terms of intentional mental states (e.g., needs, desires, feelings, beliefs, goals, purposes, and reasons).[2][3] It is sometimes described as "understanding misunderstanding." Another term that David Wallin has used for mentalization is "Thinking about thinking".[4] Mentalization can occur either automatically or consciously. Mentalization ability, or mentalizing, is weakened by intense emotion.