Theory of Mind

Question 1

Wimmer and Perner 1983, Baron-Cohen 1985

Answer 1

Sally-Anne Task: demonstrates that 80% of those with ASD failed the task and therefore have a ToM deficit. However Baron-Cohen redefined this argument as a delay in Tom due to the 20% of those that passed. 2nd order false beliefs were also investigated in 1989in which he found 90% of typical controls passed, 60% of Down’s passed but none with ASD passed. Shows an incomplete representation of ToM. Some still dispute the universality of ToM but developmental delay was supported by Happe 1995, using a meta-analysis linked verbal mental age to false belief task performance.

Question 2

Baron-Cohen 1997

Answer 2

Developed a more complex ToM task: Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Those with ASD performed significantly worse even though they scored at ceiling on the Emotion Task using whole faces. This was proposed as a pure test for ToM. As they performed worse but didn’t outright fail, those with ASD are not devoid of ToM but rather show a deficit.

Question 3

Tager-Flusberg 2007

Answer 3

Recent research has looked into the neuro-cognitive architecture of ToM with a newer focus on mirror neurons, which go beyond ToM to include face processing, imitation and empathy. There is evidence that mirror neurons are important for social-cognitive network and that this is impaired in Autism.