Theory of Mind Evaluation Flashcards
1
Q
Contradiction
A
- validity of the eye task is questioned
- eye task is criticised because looking at a static pair of eyes is different from real life experiences of seeing a face as a part of a dynamic interaction
- conclusions about ToM that result from the use of the task lack validity
2
Q
Contradiction
A
- difficult to distinguish ToM from perspective-taking
- suggested that many of the methods used to study ToM could be measures of perspective taking
- Rehfeldt suggests perspective taking tasks are able to distinguish between ASD children and others
if ToM is basically the same as perspective taking then the concept lacks any usefulness
3
Q
Contradiction
A
- intention is a precursor of ToM
- Carpenter tested children with autism for their understanding of intention
- this was done by seeing if they followed someone’s gaze and also looked where someone was pointing
- children with autism aged 2 and a half - 5 behaved the same as ‘normal children’
- suggests that understanding intentions is a separate ability to ToM
4
Q
Practical Application
A
- useful in helping us understand the differing experiences of people with ASD - Baron - Cohen suggested that ASD is a direct result of ToM
- Tager - Flusberg reports that recent research does not support the idea that ToM problems are specific to ASD and that all people with ASD have ToM deficits
- means that ASD and ToM may not be as closely linked as was once believed and ToM is only part of the explanation for ASD
5
Q
Issues and Debates
A
- Baron - Cohen sample was British and this approach to understanding autism has a very western perspective
- cultural bias
- Maguire has suggested that the higher rates of autism diagnosed in the West than elsewhere might be explained in terms of the facts that the symptoms associated with autism may not be considered abnormal in some cultures
- our view that the lack of social interaction is a problem to be solved may be western but not universal perspective
