The Sally-Anne study is distinct from other false-belief tasks in its simplicity and focus. While other false-belief tasks, like the Smarties task or the puppet tasks, also measure the understanding of others' beliefs, they often involve additional complexities or variations in context. The Sally-Anne study is straightforward: it centres on a single, clear scenario where a character acts based on a false belief about an object's location. This simplicity allows for a more focused assessment of a child's ability to understand that others can hold beliefs that are different from reality. The study's design minimises confounding variables, such as memory or language comprehension, which could affect the child's performance in more complex tasks. As a result, it provides a clear and direct measure of the basic component of theory of mind: the understanding that others can have beliefs different from one's own, and these beliefs can guide their actions.

The main limitation of the Sally-Anne study in terms of its generalisability to real-world scenarios is its simplistic and controlled experimental design. In real life, social interactions and the understanding of others' mental states are far more complex and nuanced than the scenario presented in the study. The study involves a clear-cut situation with a right or wrong answer, which does not capture the ambiguities and subtleties of real-world social cognition. Additionally, the study's reliance on a specific task may not adequately reflect a child's broader ability to understand others' perspectives in different contexts. Children might perform differently in more naturalistic settings or when dealing with more complex social cues. Furthermore, the study's artificial setting does not account for the influence of emotional, cultural, or situational factors that play a significant role in shaping social understanding in everyday life.

Subsequent studies have built upon the findings of the Sally-Anne study in several ways. Firstly, researchers have explored variations of the false-belief task to understand different aspects of theory of mind, such as understanding false beliefs about emotions or intentions. Secondly, studies have investigated the developmental trajectory of theory of mind in greater detail, examining how children's ability to understand others' perspectives evolves over time and the factors that influence this development, such as language skills and social interactions. Thirdly, there has been a significant focus on understanding theory of mind in diverse populations, including children with different developmental disorders besides autism, to explore the variability in social cognition. Finally, neuroscience research has been conducted to identify the brain regions and neural mechanisms involved in theory of mind, using techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study brain activity during false-belief tasks.

Yes, cultural differences have been observed in children's performance on the Sally-Anne task. Research has shown that while the development of theory of mind is a universal phenomenon, the age at which children pass the false-belief task can vary across cultures. These variations are thought to be influenced by differences in social and communicative practices, child-rearing styles, and educational systems. For example, in some cultures where collective practices are emphasised over individualistic ones, children may develop certain aspects of social cognition differently. Cultural factors can affect how children interpret and respond to the task, and the extent to which they are exposed to and engage in conversations about mental states. This suggests that while the basic capacity for theory of mind is innate, its development is significantly shaped by the child's social and cultural environment.

The findings from the Sally-Anne study have had a significant impact on educational strategies for children with autism. Since the study highlights difficulties in theory of mind as a key challenge for children with autism, educational approaches have been developed to specifically target these difficulties. For instance, interventions have been designed to enhance perspective-taking abilities and understanding of others' mental states. Activities and curricula are tailored to help children with autism recognise and interpret social cues, understand emotions, and develop empathy. Additionally, the study's findings have informed the use of structured and visual teaching methods, which can be more effective for children with autism. Educators are encouraged to use concrete examples and visual aids to teach abstract concepts related to social understanding. The study underscores the importance of early intervention and tailored educational strategies to support the social and cognitive development of children with autism.