Theory of Mind Flashcards
What is theory of mind
The attribution of mental states (ideas, thoughts, knowledge, emotions, desires, beliefs) to oneself and to other people.
Understanding how people’s mental states influence behaviour.
Theory of mind Experiences include:
Joint attention Gesture Communication Pretend play Cooperative play Trickery, deception Empathy Role taking Moral reasoning Sarcasm
All require understanding of what other people feel
How does Theory of Mind develop?
Develops alongside
Biological: Maturation of brain systems
Cognitive: Integration of various cognitive skills
Social: Shaped by cultural & social experiences (Apply the biological and cognitive)
Changes overtime
What is second order ToM
Understand what A thinks of B
What is social development of ToM
Increasingly complex interactions with others, and understanding of others
Includes Cultural influences; Family relationships; Sibling constellations..
Cultural influences of ToM
Contexts provide scope for predicting likely mental states
Family relationships influences of ToM
Diversity of relationships provide models for diversity of mental states
Family that talk about emotion…
Sibling constellations influences of ToM
Opportunities to witness separate mental states (role models, conflict, play)
more siblings or less siblings
younger or older siblings
Tasks of measuring ToM
Diverse desires; Diverse beliefs; Knowledge access (differs culturally); False belief understanding; Hidden beliefs, Real-Apparent Emotion
How the task of diverse desires measures ToM
Evidenced when the child predicts another person’s choice, when the actor has opposite desires to the child
How the task of diverse beliefs measures ToM
Evidenced when the child predicts another person’s choice, when the actor has opposite beliefs to the child
How the task of knowledge access measures ToM
Evidenced when the child predicts another person’s belief, when the child knows something that the actor does not
How the task of false belief understanding measures ToM
Evidenced when the child predicts another person’s beliefs/actions, when the child sees something incongruent, children can understand people can have false beliefs (Content false beliefs; Explicit false belief)
How the task of hidden beliefs, real apparent emotion measures ToM
Evidenced when the child predicts another person’s emotion/actions, when reality is incongruent with desire.
The actor doesn’t get something that they wanted.
The actor feels differently from their expressed emotion.
What are the False belief tasks
Tasks that test a child’s understanding that other people will act according to their own beliefs, even when the child knows those beliefs are incorrect.
Sally and Anne Task
Smarties task / M&M task
