Socio-cognitive development

Question 1

What is the theory of mind?

Answer 1

The capacity to attribute mental states (such as desires, beliefs, knowledge) to others in order to predict or explain behaviour

Question 2

What must a child do in the unexpected contents false-belief task?

Answer 2

A child must attribute a false-belief about the contents of a prototypical container to someone else.

Question 3

What are the two appearance-reality questions children are asked?

Answer 3

Question 1: What does this look like to your eyes right now?
Question 2: What is this really?

Question 4

What is the (rough) development of social cognition?
1. V____-s____ p____ taking
2. F____-b____ understanding
3. A____-r____
4. S____ d____ of e____; b____ based e____

Answer 4

1. Visuo-spatial perspective taking
2. False-belief understanding
3. Appearance-reality
4. Situational determinants of emotion; belief based emotion

Question 5

What are four elements of the advanced theory of mind?
1. S____-o____ f____-b____
2. S____-c____ awareness and knowledge of social ‘r____’
3. Understanding s____, i____ and d____ e____ h____
4. S____ f____ task

Answer 5

1. Second-order-false-belief
2. Self-conscious awareness and knowledge of social ‘rules’
3. Understanding sarcasm, irony and double entendre humour
4. Silent films task

Question 6

What are some problems with theory of mind measures?
1. C____ of l____ demands
2. I____ vs e____ ToM
3. Single i____ at a single p____ in t____
4. A____ reflection of how ToM used in e____ situations?
5. M____ burden

Answer 6

1. Complexity of language demands
2. Implicit vs explicit ToM
3. Single item at a single point in time
4. Appropriate reflection of how ToM used in everyday situations?
5. Memory burden

Question 7

Give a brief summary and limitations of the “The Big Three” classic theories of theory of mind…
1. Theory Theory (Gopnik & Hellman, 1992)
-> Children as s____ trying to figure out how m____ work
-> children form a ‘t____’ about m____
-> BUT a____ centric - do children really develop t____… u____
2. Simulation Theory (Harris, 1991)
-> I____ - a ‘l____ m____’ analogy to understand others
-> development hunges on getting increasingly good at i____ others p____
-> BUT i____ appears to be the o____ of development… how do we test
3. Modularity Theory (Leslie, 1987)
-> ToM underpinned by d____, i____ circuits in the b____, acuisition of ToM is a process of m____
-> BUT how do we get to c____ forms of t____? what about influence of e____? Not enough g____ to claim i____ knowledge

Answer 7

1. Children as scientists trying too figure out how minds work, children form a ‘theory’ about minds BUT academic-centric, how does ToM develop? do children really develop theories? - untestable
2. Imagination - a ‘like me’ analogy to understand others, development hinges on getting increasingly good at imagining others’ perspectives BUT imagination appears to be the OUTCOME of development, how do we test this theory?
3. Also known as theory of mind mechanism theory, ToM underpinned by discrete, innate circuits in the brain, acquisition of ToM is a process of maturation BUT how do we get to complex forms of thinking? What about influence of environment? Not enough genes to claim innate knowledge

Question 8

What are mirror neurons?

Answer 8

A class of brain cells that fire not only when an individual performs an action, but also when the individual observes someone else making the same movement

Question 9

What can neuroimaging studies help reveal about localisation of function?
If there is a n____ c____ of forms of t____
If there is a l____ brain area that s____ in ToM understanding

Answer 9

If there is a neural correlate of forms of thinking
Is there a localised brain area that specialises in theory of mind understanding?

Question 10

What are the six types of questions in a faux pas understanding task?
How many of these tasks do they need to get correct to pass?
1. Faux pas d____ question
2. I____ question
3. I____ II question
4. C____ question
5. I____ question
6. E____ question

Answer 10

1. Faux pas detection question
2. Identification question
3. Identification II question
4. Comprehension question
5. Ignorance question
6. Emotion question
   Must get all 6 questions right

Question 11

How would children answer the unexpected transfer false-belief task if they have developed ToM?

Answer 11

Children come to realisation they can hold information that others don’t have access to – so in task knowing that sally didn’t have information marble had moved, means she would act in a specific way (look in wrong place)

Question 12

How are the proportions of research into ToM split up?
>__% on b____
__-__% on p____, k____ and e____
<__% on m____ understanding on l____ communication and i____

Answer 12

> 25% on beliefs
5-25% on precepts, knowledge and emotions
<5% on mentalistic understanding on literal communication and intentions

Question 13

Which child comes to understanding of the theory of mind sooner - the first born or the second born?

Answer 13

Second born

Question 14

Which part of the brain becomes more specialised toward mental state understanding rather than physical features as theory of mind develops?
R____t te____po____tal ju____on

Answer 14

Right temporoparietal junction (TPJ)