TABLE 2.

Description of training lessons by group.

Lesson	Component	Material	ToM training	Physical-conversation training
1	Introduction to the main content of the training	Exemplifying stimuli	The trainer presented the aims of the ToM training and were introduced to the nature of inferences on mental states and on its relevance in real life. Subjects practiced with examples of scenarios requiring mental-state inferences and reasoning. Material adapted from Lecce et al. (2014b, 2015).	The trainer presented the aims of the physical-conversation training and were introduced to the nature of inferences on physical states and on its relevance in real life. Subjects practiced with examples of scenarios requiring physical inferences and reasoning. Material adapted from Lecce et al. (2014b, 2015).
2	Visual perspective-taking	Visual stimuli	The trainer presented eight visual stimuli depicting a room where an avatar stood behind a table. Unambiguous (e.g., 8) or ambiguous (e.g., 6) numbers were shown either on the wall or on the table. When the ambiguous numbers were shown on the table the subjects and the avatar perceived the stimulus differently. Participants were required to make a judgment about how the numeral appeared to themselves and how the number appeared to the avatar in the scene. Material adapted from Surtees et al. (2012).	The trainer presented eight visual stimuli depicting a 4 4 grid. Subjects were told the grid was a bookcase. Some slots contained objects and participants were instructed to imagine they had to push certain objects, in order to drop them on the floor. Some slots in the grid were occluded behind so that the object could not be dropped. Critical instructions required the participants to ignore objects in the occluded slots and to push other objects, in order to accomplish the request. Material adapted from Dumontheil et al. (2010).
3	Conceptual perspective-taking	Visual stimuli	The trainer showed a full picture and subsequently a small portion of the same picture. Participants were asked to imagine what two individuals, exposed only to the small portion of the picture, would think the image was. Seven pictures were shown. Material adapted from Lalonde and Chandler (2002).	The trainer showed a complete picture and subsequently a small portion of the same picture. Participants were asked to recollect which part of the big image the small portion depicted. Seven pictures were shown. Material adapted from Lalonde and Chandler (2002).
	Conceptual perspective-taking	Audio stimuli	The trainer presented participants with three very short oral stories, where a misunderstanding between characters occurred. These oral texts were read by the trainer and were based on Italian idiomatic expressions containing ambiguous words with double meaning. The contextual information of these stories was kept to the minimum. Participants answered a series of questions about: - character’s beliefs and points of view; - what the main character could do or say in order to resolve the problem.	The trainer presented participants with three very short oral stories about physical phenomena. Participants answered a series of questions about: - specific facts of the story or details; - the physical event not explicitly mentioned in the text (inference). Material adapted from Lecce et al. (2014b, 2015).
	Conceptual perspective-taking	Written stimuli	The trainer presented seven mental state stories similar to those of the revised strange stories task (White et al., 2009). The stories referred to complex social situations. Participants answered a series of questions about: - the main character’s mental state; - one character’s belief about the other characters' mental state; - mental state underlying social behavior; - what the main character could do/say in order to resolve the problem. Older adults were asked to imagine a personal situation similar to that reported in the story and describe how he/she would have resolved it.	The trainer presented seven stories about physical phenomena similar to those of the revised strange stories task (White et al., 2009). Participants answered a series of questions about: - specific facts of the story or details presented in the text; - the physical event not explicitly mentioned in the text (inference).
4	Real-life perspective-taking	Audio stimuli	The trainer presented, through audio stimuli, three pieces of real-life conversations, each involving two human characters. Conversations were rich in mental states terms and referred to ambiguous and complex social situations (e.g., misunderstanding, sarcasm). After having listened to each conversation, participants answered a series of questions about: - character’s beliefs and points of view; - mental states involved; - what the main character could do or say in order to resolve the problem. Older adults were asked to imagine a personal situation similar to that reported in the conversation and describe how he/she would have resolved it.	The trainer presented, through audio stimuli, one oral description about non-mental phenomena. After having listened to the stimulus, participants answered a series of questions about what they had just heard.
	Real-life perspective-taking	Written stimuli	The trainer presented a short portion of a novel (Coelho, 1998, p. 88) to participants. Participants answered a series of questions about: - character’s mental states and points of view; - mental-states lexicon involved. Older adults were asked to imagine a personal situation similar to that reported in the portion of the novel and describe how he/she would have resolved it.	The trainer presented two written riddles to participants. Riddles were ecological so that they were similar to the ones in newspapers. In order to correctly answer, details of the text needed to be linked and an inference beyond explicit information was required.