Cognition And Development: Introduction To Social Cognition

Question 1

What Is Social Cognition?

Answer 1

• Refers to the mental processes we use when engaged in social interaction.

Question 2

Key Skill: Perspective Taking.

Answer 2

• Our ability to appreciate a social situation from the point of view of other people.
• This cognitive ability underlies much of our social interaction.

Question 3

Key Skill: Socially Egocentric.

Answer 3

• The child cannot reliably distinguish between their own emotions and those of others.
• They can generally identify emotional states in others but do not understand what social behaviour might have caused them.

Question 4

Key Skill: Social Information And Role Taking.

Answer 4

• The child can tell the difference between their own point of view and that of another, but they can usually focus on only one of these perspectives.

Question 5

Key Skill: Interpersonal Understanding.

Answer 5

• If we can take different roles then this shows we can understand social situations.

Question 6

Key Skill: Interpersonal Negotiation Strategies.

Answer 6

• As well as understanding what others think in social situations, we also have to develop skills in how to respond to them.
• We develop social skills such as asserting our position and managing conflict.

Question 7

Key Skill: Awareness Of Personal Meaning Of Relationships.

Answer 7

• As well as understanding what others think in social situations and how to manage them, social development also requires the ability to reflect on social behaviour in the context of life history and the full range of relationships.
• For example, a child may adapt their response to another child based on previous experience with them.

Question 8

Key Skill: Theory Of Mind.

Answer 8

• Our personal understanding (a theory) of what other people are thinking and feeling.
• It is sometimes called “mind-reading”.