Cognitive Development - Social Cognition Flashcards
What is theory of mind and how is it defined?
Theory of Mind is the ability to attribute mental states—such as beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotions—to oneself and others, recognizing that these states may differ between people. This definition was originally introduced by Premack & Woodruff (1978).
At what age do children begin to show aspects of ToM?
Research indicates that basic intentionality can be observed as early as 7–9 months (Baron-Cohen, 1991) while 18‐month‐old toddlers, as demonstrated by Meltzoff (1988), begin to understand and copy adult intentions. Full ToM abilities are typically evident by the age of 3–4 years.
What does intentionally reasoning in toddles involve?
Intentional reasoning involves understanding that behavior is driven by intentions. For example, toddlers may predict actions (like expecting someone in a green coat to take their dog for a walk) and imitate adults to capture the intended outcome of an action.
What are false belief tasks and what do they assess?
False belief tasks are designed to test whether children recognize that others can hold beliefs that are not true. A classic example is the Maxi chocolate task, where younger children (around 3 years) wrongly choose a new location for the chocolate, whereas older children (around 4 years) correctly recall its original location. (Wimmer & Perner, 1983)
What is the sally-Anne task and how does it work?
The Sally-Anne Task requires children to predict where a character (Sally) will look for a hidden object based on her false belief. In the study by Baron-Cohen et al. (1985), 85% of neurotypical children and children with Down syndrome answered correctly, compared to only 20% of children with autism, indicating a specific ToM impairment in autism.
How do the findings from the sally-Anne task contribute to our understanding of autism?
The task demonstrates that many individuals with autism struggle with attributing false beliefs, which may underlie their difficulties with social interaction and communication, thereby providing a potential explanation for the social challenges seen in autism.
What is the reading the mind in the eyes task and what does it reveal?
This task asks participants to infer emotions from just the eye region of faces. The study by Baron-Cohen et al. (1997) found that adults on the autism spectrum had a lower mean score (16.3 out of 25) compared to neurotypical participants (20.3 out of 25), highlighting subtle deficits in social cognition.
What strengths does ToM research offer in understanding social cognition and autism?
A key strength is its ability to explain social communication difficulties by linking impaired mental state attribution to real-world challenges. Additionally, ToM research provides evidence of a developmental progression linked to biological maturation.
What are the limitations of using ToM as an explanation for autism?
Limitations include an overreliance on false belief tasks—which may also tap memory and other cognitive skills—and the fact that not all autistic individuals display ToM impairments. Furthermore, observed correlations do not necessarily indicate causation.
How does the debate between innate and social-Interactionist perspectives relate to ToM development?
Evidence from studies (e.g. Perner et al., Piaget, Liu et al.) suggests that ToM development is closely linked to biological maturation, indicating an innate basis. Conversely, social-interactionist views (e.g. Astington) argue that interpersonal experiences are essential in shaping ToM abilities.
What are Selman’s levels of perspective-taking and how do they connect to ToM development?
Selman’s theory describes a developmental progression from an egocentric perspective to increasingly complex stages—social informational, self-reflective, mutual/third-party, and societal role-taking. This mirrors the developmental trajectory of ToM as children move from a self-focused view to understanding multiple perspectives.
What practical applications of ToM research are mentioned?
Some high-functioning individuals with autism may employ compensatory strategies to pass tasks like the sally-Anne task. However, more nuanced tests such as the reading the mind in the eyes task can still reveal underlying impairments in social recognition.
What is theory of mind?
The ability to understand that people have their own mental states (beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotions) which can differ from one’s own, originally described by Premack & Woodruff (1978).
What is social cognition?
The broader field that examines how individuals process, store, and apply information about other people and social situations, including understanding others’ perspectives and mental states.
What is false belief tasks?
Experimental setups (e.g., Maxi chocolate task) designed to see if a child (or adult) can grasp that someone else can hold a belief that is untrue, testing the understanding that another person’s mental state can differ from reality.
What is intentional reasoning?
Recognizing that behavior is driven by intentions. In early childhood, this is seen when toddlers imitate actions to achieve an intended outcome rather than just copying motor movements.
What is the maxi chocolate task?
A classic false belief scenario by Wimmer & Perner (1983). Children must predict where Maxi will look for his chocolate, revealing whether they understand Maxi’s mistaken (false) belief about its location.
What is the sally-Anne task?
A test devised by Baron-Cohen et al. (1985) in which a character named Sally places a marble in one location and leaves, while Anne moves it. Children are asked where Sally will look for the marble, revealing if they appreciate Sally’s false belief.
What reading the mind in the eyes task?
Created by Baron-Cohen et al. (1997). Participants view only the eye region of faces and must identify the emotion or mental state being expressed. It measures subtle aspects of ToM, often highlighting social-cognitive difficulties in autism.
What is autism?
A developmental condition often associated with social-communication challenges. Research using tasks like the Sally-Anne Task and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task suggests many autistic individuals experience specific impairments in mental-state attribution
What is perspective-taking?
Selman proposed a developmental progression in understanding viewpoints, from egocentric (only one’s own perspective) to more complex (social-informational, self-reflective, mutual/third-party, and societal). This aligns closely with the maturing of Theory of Mind.
What is biological maturation?
The idea that ToM develops in tandem with natural brain and cognitive growth. Evidence includes observations that children typically pass false belief tasks around age 3–4, suggesting ToM emerges alongside neural development.
What is the social Interactionist-perspective?
Emphasizes the role of interpersonal experiences and communication in shaping ToM. Interaction with caregivers, peers, and broader social contexts provides the scaffolding needed for the child’s understanding of others’ mental states.
