COG AND DEV : Theory Of Mind Flashcards
What is theory of mind ( 2 m)
Give an example
Theory of Mind:
Ability to mentally put oneself in someone else’s place and guess what they think/feel: “mind reading”
You have a theory of mind when you have a theory about someone else’s mind
Eg: ability to understand that your friend, waiting for an exam, is nervous even if you are not.
each of us has a theory of mind when we have a belief (theory) about what is in someone else mind.
What is autism
A condition that makes people cognitively function differently to atypically observed functioning.
Meltzoff
What does it suggest
Studies intentional reasoning in toddlers
show that toddlers (18months) understand adult intentions when carrying out simple actions.
Kids observe adults place beads in a jar.
Experimental condition: adults appeared to struggle with this and dropped the beads.
Control condition: placed the beads successfully in the jar.
In both conditions the toddlers placed the beads in the jar, dropped no more in the experimental condition.
This suggests that they were imitating what the adult intended to do. Very young kids have a simple theory of mind.
Give one study that suggests young kids have a theory of mind
Meltzoff (19988) :
Provides convincing evidence, to show that toddlers (18months) understand adult intentions when carrying out simple actions.
Kids observe adults place beads in a jar.
Experimental condition: adults appeared to struggle with this and dropped the beads.
Control condition: placed the beads successfully in the jar.
In both conditions the toddlers placed the beads in the jar, dropped no more in the experimental condition.
This suggests that they were imitating what the adult intended to do. Very young kids have a simple theory of mind.
Give a study that tests theory of mind false belief test
Wimmer and Perner (1983) ‘Maxi Test’
Testing whether kids can understand that people can beleive something that is untrue.
3-4 y/o told stay where Maxi placed chocolate in a blue cupboard and went to play. When Maxi was out, his mother used some of Maxis chocolate to make a chocolate cake, replacing the leftover chocolate in the green cupboard
Q: “Where will Maxi look for the chocolate.”
TESTING: theory of mind: False belief tests
This test requires the child to distinguish between what they know (actual location of choc in green cupboard) and what maxi knows (he left it in blue cupboard)
most 3 y/o incorrectly said green cupboard.
Most 4y/o correctly identified the blue, because maxi doesnt know his mother moved it
Theory of mind undergoes a shift and advances between 3-4
What is theory of mind false beliefs (2m)
False beliefs are the ability of a child to understand that their knowledge about a situation might not be all the knowledge others have of a situation. It is reflected in the Sally Anne test experiment by Baron-Cohen et al which experiments false beliefs in children.
Baron cohen and frith
Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith (1985)
Proposed an influential explanation about cause of autism, proposing that it arising when theory of mind or meta listing fails to develop,
Created the Sally-Anne test to assess TOM abilities in autistic kids.
Sally places a marble in basket
When sally isnt looking Anne moves it into her box
Where will sally look for the marble?
Understanding that sally doesn’t know Anne has moved it requires an understanding of sallys false belief
What is the sally Anne test
Sally places a marble in basket
When sally isnt looking Anne moves it into her box
Where will sally look for the marble?
Understanding that sally doesn’t know Anne has moved it requires an understanding of sallys false belief
How has the sally Anne test and failed theory of mind been linked to autism
Autism is a cognitive cognition that makes people function cognitively differently to atypical functioning
Theory of mind is about understanding and putting oneself in someone else’s place and thinking about what they feel
Autism sometimes can involve a lack of understanding other people’s perspectives and different social interactions
Therefore a lack of/ broken theory of mind has been linked to influencing this symptom of autism.
What is baron cohen and frith findings
What did baron cohen and frith findings show
They use this test to compare the abilities of:
High functioning autism (average to above average intelligence and can manage daily life)
14 Down syndrome children (control variable)
27 typical developing children (control)
Children were different chronological (actual) ages, but approximately matched for “verbal age” - the ability to understand language.
If the child fails the test its because they answer that Sally would look for the marble in the box (not recognising between what they know and what SALLY knows).
Test was passed by 86% of Down syndrome children
Test was passed by 85% of atypically developing children
Test was passed by only 20% of autistic children.
This supports Baron-Cohen et als hypothesis that autistic people have trouble putting themselves in other peoples pov and shoes.
