10: Theory of Mind Flashcards
define: Theory of mind
Understanding the mental states or psychological states of others.
what does it mean when we describe our understanding of others as mentalistic?
we think of people in terms of their goals, beliefs, desires, hopes, and feelings.
define: coherence
people act in accordance with their goals and beliefs
define: true-belief
a belief that correctly represent the reality
define: belief ignorance
unaware of the reality
define: false-belief
a belief that incorrectly represent the reality
define: second-order belief
beliefs about beliefs
At what age do children understand that people have preferences that don’t match their own?
2
At what age do children understand that other people may hold false-beliefs
4
How does the conceptual change model explain Theory of Mind
Children’s early ToM equates to a desire psychology – a theory of persons based on an initial, simplified understanding of:
- Goals & intentions
- Perception & knowledge access
Development represents a shift from a situation/reality-based to a representation- based understanding of mind.
Must explain how children go from believing that belief equates to reality, to believing that belief equates to an internal reality (or representation of reality).
How does the competence model explain Theory of Mind?
As children become older, other skills required in ToM tasks become better, such as memory, attention, counterfactual thinking = wording of the questions
Can other species perform ToM tasks?
Primates can perceive others as goal-oriented beings
what is the most common measure of Theory of Mind?
false-belief task
Does scaffolding aid children’s performance in Theory of Mind tasks?
yes, but only to a certain degree
Is the developmental trajectory of ToM universal?
Yes
