Theory of Mind

Question 1

Define the theory of mind

Answer 1

ability to infer what is going on in the minds of others, such as their emotions, beliefs, intentions, by observing their behaviours

Question 2

Define the fasle belief task

Answer 2

participants are tested on whether they realize that another person can hold beliefs that differ from their own

Question 3

Name the 3 theories about the Theory of mind in the brain

Answer 3

Modularity theories
Simulation theories
Executive theory

Question 4

Define the modularity theories

Answer 4

Propose that an innate module that specializes in theory of mind exists within the brain.

Question 5

What part of the brain do the modularity theory say is responsible for the theory of mind?

Answer 5

• Tempoparietal junction (TPJ) - mostly right side

Question 6

Define the simulation theories

Answer 6

Suggest that theory of mind is achieved through our ability to put ourselves in a person’s “mental” shoes and imagine what we would experience in a similar situation

Question 7

Name the 2 possible systems in the brain responsible for simulation

Answer 7

Medial prefrontal cortex

Mirror neurons

Question 8

Explain the roles of the parts of the medial prefrontal cortex in the simulation theory of the theory of mind

Answer 8

• Simulation about someone similar to us activates the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)
  
  • Simulation about someone different to us activates the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC)

Question 9

Explain the role of the mirror neurons in the theory of mind

Answer 9

Activated in premotor cortex of monkeys when they performed an action, and when they saw another monkey perform the action

Question 10

Outline the steps of mirror neurons that lead to the prediction of other’s actions and mental states

Answer 10

1. The same mirror neurons are activated whether we plan to execute an action ourselves or we observe other people execute the same action.
   
   2. Through visual input, mirror neurons are activated by actions performed by another person.
   3. The externally generated activity in motor neurons does not usually produce an action in the observer.
   4. Belief and intention are attributed to the person being observed.

Question 11

Define executive theories

Answer 11

States that theory of mind is dependent on the ability to inhibit one’s thoughts and behaviour (inhibitory control), including the taking of one’s perspective, when trying to attribute mental states to others.

Question 12

Name the brain areas involved in the theory of mind according to executive theories

Answer 12

Same brain areas activated during false-belief tasks and inhibition tasks (go/no go)
• Right TPJ
• Right medial prefrontal cortex
• Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Question 13

Define empathy

Answer 13

The ability to understand / feel the emotions experienced by another person from that person’s perspective

Question 14

Define the 2 types of empathy

Answer 14

• Emotional empathy: occurs when observing another person experiencing an emotion automatically triggers the personal experience of the same emotion
• Cognitive empathy: refers to a cognitive process by which one adopts another person’s point of view by making inferences about that person’s emotional state

Question 15

Name the 3 components of emtional empathy

Answer 15

Emotional contagion
Emotional recognition
Feeling of share pain

Question 16

Define emotional contagion; which model can explain it?

Answer 16

phenomenon by which emotions spread from one person to another
• Can be explained by the perception-action model: people share neural representations for perceiving and generating actions

Question 17

Define the brain parts involved in emotional contagion and their role in this process

Answer 17

• When we see another person experiencing an emotional state, a representation related to that state as well as the actions related to it are triggered in our own brain
○ Depends on a circuit of brain areas including inferior parietal lobule and inferior frontal gyrus

Question 18

Which brain part is responsible for emotional recognition

Answer 18

dependent on inferior frontal gyrus

Question 19

Which brain parts are responsible for the feeling of shared pain?

Answer 19

dependent on anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and anterior insula
• ACC also activated when experiencing physical pain or social pain

Question 20

Name the brain parts associated with cognitive empathy

Answer 20

Related to brain areas involved in executive theory
• VMPFC - differentiation between self and others and processing of emotional aspects of empathy
• DMPFC
• Superior temporal sulcus
• Temporal poles
Medial temporal lobe - along with DMPFC, are involved in drawing from past experiences to better understand the mental states experiences by other people