The Existential Theory of Mind

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse M. Bering
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Explanatory Models ◽  
Explanatory Model ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Behavior Theory ◽  
Folk Physics ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Existential Theory

The primary causal explanatory model for interpreting behavior, theory of mind, may have expanded into corridors of human cognition that have little to do with the context in which it evolved, questioning the suitability of domain-specific accounts of mind reading. Namely, philosophical–religious reasoning is a uniquely derived explanatory system anchored in intentionality that does not clearly involve behavior. The presence of an existential theory of mind (EToM) suggests that individuals perceive some nondescript or culturally elaborated (e.g., God) psychological agency as having encoded communicative intentions in the form of life events, similar to a person encoding communicative intentions in deictic gestures. The emergence of EToM is discussed from ontogenetic and phylogenetic perspectives; autism is examined to determine whether alternate core explanatory models (e.g., folk physics) are used by those with deficits in theory of mind to derive existential meaning.

Using metavisualization to revise an explanatory model regarding a chemical reaction between ions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solange Wagner Locatelli ◽  
Bette Davidowitz
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Chemical Reaction ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Explanatory Models ◽  
Explanatory Model ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Correct Figure ◽  
Real Life Situation

The objective of this work was to evaluate the implementation of a metavisual strategy for students to revise and self-regulate concepts arising in a study of a chemical reaction between ions. For this purpose, two chemistry education undergraduate students at a Brazilian public university carried out an investigative activity, involving metavisual steps, to revise explanatory models at the submicro level. Students were given a problem, namely a reaction between ions drawn from a real-life situation and were provided with clay to construct an explanatory model of the submicro level for the initial and final stages of the reaction. The students were asked to compare their clay model with an example of a scientifically correct figure of the submicro level of the reaction generated by the researchers. At this stage students were given the option to reconstruct their model. Data were captured via photographs of the clay models and students’ verbal discussions as they proceeded through the activity. The findings reveal evidence of self-regulation of mental models at the submicro level, from the interaction of prior knowledge, chemical diagrams and discussions and reflections by the pair of students. Difficulties regarding chemical formulae were also observed in relation to the symbolic level. Finally, there are implications for teaching chemistry, since teachers in training need to experience metavisual strategies for future application in their classrooms.

Social Behavior: Theory of Mind

2016 ◽  
pp. 2717-2726
Author(s):  
Sara M. Schaafsma ◽  
Donald W. Pfaff ◽  
Robert P. Spunt ◽  
Ralph Adolphs
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Behavior Theory

Social Behavior: Theory of Mind

2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Sara M. Schaafsma ◽  
Donald W. Pfaff ◽  
Robert P. Spunt ◽  
Ralph Adolphs
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Behavior Theory

Chimps, Dogs, and Us

Reading Minds ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 98-112
Author(s):  
Henry M. Wellman
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Social Understanding ◽  
Mind Reading ◽  
Theories Of Mind ◽  
Almost All

This chapter addresses how animal studies are a crucial way to discover what makes people, and our theories of mind, uniquely human. Chimpanzee social understanding falls far short of human children’s. Nevertheless, people’s human theory of mind reflects beginnings owed to nonhuman ancestors. At the same time, human theory of mind is distinctive. It is broad, impacting almost all of human cognition and social interaction. It is fundamentally developmental, requiring more and more advanced mind-reading insights over an entire human life. It is also helpful and communicative. Even infants deploy their social–cognitive insights to help, communicate with, and learn about others. As such, while people sprang from animal ancestors, it is their advanced, rapidly developing social understanding that makes them uniquely human.

Human Cognitive Processes

2009 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Slava Kalyuga
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Architecture ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Domain Specific Knowledge ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Memory Knowledge ◽  
High Level

One of the major components of our cognitive architecture, working memory, becomes overloaded if more than a few chunks of information are processed simultaneously. For example, we all experience this cognitive overload when trying to keep in memory an unfamiliar telephone number or add two four-digit numbers in the absence of a pen and paper. Similar in nature processing limitations of working memory represent a major factor influencing the effectiveness of human learning and performance, particularly in complex environments that require concurrent performance of multiple tasks. The learner prior domain-specific knowledge structures and associated levels of expertise are considered as means of reducing these limitations and guiding high-level knowledge-based cognitive activities. One of the most important results of studies in human cognition is that the available knowledge is a single most significant learner cognitive characteristic that influences learning and cognitive performance. Understanding the key role of long-term memory knowledge base in our cognition is important to the successful management of cognitive load in multimedia learning.

“I Know, you Know”: Epistemic Egocentrism in Children and Adults

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward B. Royzman ◽  
Kimberly Wright Cassidy ◽  
Jonathan Baron
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
General Feature ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Normative Ethics ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Heuristics And Biases ◽  
Human Judgment ◽  
Privileged Information ◽  
Research Traditions

This article reviews the evidence and theory pertaining to a form of perspective-taking failure—a difficulty in setting aside the privileged information that one knows to be unavailable to another party. The authors argue that this bias (epistemic egocentrism, or EE) is a general feature of human cognition and has been tapped by 2 independent and largely uncommunicating research traditions: the theory-of-mind tradition in developmental psychology and, with more sensitive probes, the “heuristics and biases” tradition in the psychology of human judgment. This article sets the stage for facilitating communication between these traditions as well as for the recognition of EE's breadth and potential interdisciplinary significance: The authors propose a life-span account and a tentative taxonomy of EE; and they highlight the interdisciplinary significance of EE by discussing its implications for normative ethics.

Combined social cognitive and neurocognitive rehabilitation strategies in schizophrenia: neuropsychological and psychopathological influences on Theory of Mind improvement

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (15) ◽  
pp. 3147-3157 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bechi ◽  
M. Bosia ◽  
M. Spangaro ◽  
M. Buonocore ◽  
F. Cocchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Remediation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Neurocognitive Performance ◽  
Comic Strips ◽  
Neuropsychological Measures ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Cognitive Improvement ◽  
Neurocognitive Rehabilitation

BackgroundNeurocognitive and social cognitive impairments represent important treatment targets in schizophrenia, as they are significant predictors of functional outcome. Different rehabilitative interventions have recently been developed, addressing both cognitive and psychosocial domains. Although promising, results are still heterogeneous and predictors of treatment outcome are not yet identified. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of two newly developed social cognitive interventions, respectively based on the use of videotaped material and comic strips, combined with domain-specific Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT). We also analysed possible predictors of training outcome, including basal neurocognitive performance, the degree of cognitive improvement after CRT and psychopathological variables.MethodSeventy-five patients with schizophrenia treated with CRT, were randomly assigned to: social cognitive training (SCT) group, Theory of Mind Intervention (ToMI) group, and active control group (ACG).ResultsANOVAs showed that SCT and ToMI groups improved significantly in ToM measures, whereas the ACG did not. We reported no influences of neuropsychological measures and improvement after CRT on changes in ToM. Both paranoid and non-paranoid subjects improved significantly after ToMI and SCT, without differences between groups, despite the better performance in basal ToM found among paranoid patients. In the ACG only non-paranoid patients showed an improvement in non-verbal ToM.ConclusionResults showed that both ToMI and SCT are effective in improving ToM in schizophrenia with no influence of neuropsychological domains. Our data also suggest that paranoid symptoms may discriminate between different types of ToM difficulties in schizophrenia.

Constraint, cognition, and written numeration

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Chrisomalis
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Study ◽  
Mathematical Cognition ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Writing Systems ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
Numeral Systems ◽  
Numerical Notation

The world’s diverse written numeral systems are affected by human cognition; in turn, written numeral systems affect mathematical cognition in social environments. The present study investigates the constraints on graphic numerical notation, treating it neither as a byproduct of lexical numeration, nor a mere adjunct to writing, but as a specific written modality with its own cognitive properties. Constraints do not refute the notion of infinite cultural variability; rather, they recognize the infinity of variability within defined limits, thus transcending the universalist/particularist dichotomy. In place of strictly innatist perspectives on mathematical cognition, a model is proposed that invokes domain-specific and notationally-specific constraints to explain patterns in numerical notations. The analysis of exceptions to cross-cultural generalizations makes the study of near-universals highly productive theoretically. The cross-cultural study of patterns in written numbers thus provides a rich complement to the cognitive analysis of writing systems.

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