scholarly journals What is the Relationship Between Theory of Mind and Social Attachment and What can we do About it?

1970 ◽  
pp. 305-325
Author(s):  
Chen Eden

The aim of this article is to examine whether the attitude towards the deficiency of people with the Autistic Spectrum Disorder relies on the Theory of Mind concept and the symbolic interaction approach. Autism is a deficiency hampering the ability to receive messages from others and develop appropriate mutual relations. The deficiencies are apparent in three areas of development – social functioning, communication and behaviour. The study population are high functioning people with autism – ASD. TOM is a concept of consciousness, the ability to understand and interpret human behaviour in interactions and social contexts, including the ability to identify mental states such as: emotions, thoughts, intentions and desires of the individual and those around him. There are three components within this interaction: cognitive (thoughts, beliefs), emotional (exhibiting and understanding emotions, empathy), and the behavioural component (the actual interaction). Symbolic interactionism is a sociological paradigm claiming that social reality is based on the interactions between individuals in society, based on symbols and interpretations. When we examine the interaction of people with ASD, in order to understand their social thinking, emotions and behaviours we want to have a framework focusing on the interaction within a group. One of important and meaningful groups is the peer group, which has an important general and specific role in youth and young adults. The peer group has a significant role in integrating personal identity, establishing a different status within the family, and acquiring greater autonomy in the world outside the family. Work within the peer group enables familiarization with the deficiency and different parts of the “self”, thus con-structing a solid identity and closer relations with the environment. Group work will include aspects such as projection, giving and receiving feedback, learning about emotional mirroring, and defending oneself.

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Andrea Arango-Bernal

Objetivo: analizar los significados que construyen las madres de personas en condición de hemofilia, sobre ser portadoras de la enfermedad. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque del interaccionismo simbólico que, a través de una etnografía particularista y el uso de entrevistas semiestructuradas, observaciones y revisión documental, rescató el punto de vista de 17 madres pertenecientes a la Liga Antioqueña de Hemofílicos que participaron de manera voluntaria y residen en diferentes municipios del departamento de Antioquia. Resultados: Las participantes se reconocen a sí mismas como seres potenciales, es decir, no sólo como trasmisoras o cuidadoras de la enfermedad de sus hijos, sino como sujetos cognoscentes de su realidad dispuestas a reflexionar sobre sus aprendizajes e incorporarlos a favor de la relación consigo mismas y con los demás. Los significados más relevantes son: empezar a vivir con hemofilia, asumir la enfermedad, la familia, el cuidado y la crianza, la relación con los servicios de salud, caminando con algo que no se puede desprender y darse cuenta. Conclusiones: La salud colectiva es la posibilidad de tener un acercamiento más comprensivo al proceso salud – enfermedad – atención de los colectivos humanos, tomando en cuenta las condiciones económicas, sociales y culturales en las que estos se inscriben. La pregunta por los significados de estas madres develó el tejido de lo individual y lo colectivo, como un asunto que trasciende el plano biológico de la enfermedad y da cuenta de la construcción social en la que confluyen prácticas, saberes, imaginarios y sentimientos.Palabras Clave: Cuidadores, enfermedad crónica, hemofilia A, madresSignifi cance of being a hemophilia carrierAbstractObjective: Analyzing the meanings that mothers of people with hemophilia, build about being carriers of the disease. Materials and methods: Study based on the qualitative method supported by the approach of symbolic interaction, which through a particularistic ethnography, and the use of semi-structured interviews, observations and document review, rescued the point of view of 17 mothers belonging to the Liga Antioqueña de Hemofílicos. They participated voluntarily and reside in different municipalities of Antioquia. Results: The participants recognize themselves as potential beings, that is, not only as disseminators or carers of the illness of their children, but as cognocentes subject of their reality willing to reflect on their learning and incorporate them in favor of the relationship with herself and others. The most important meanings are: start living with hemophilia, assuming the disease, the family, the care and upbringing, relationships with health services, walking with something that can not be detached and realize. Conclusions: Collective health is the ability to have a more comprehensive approach to process health - disease - care of human groups, taking into account the economic, social and cultural conditions in which they are registered. The question of the meaning of these mothers, unveiled the tissue of the individual and the collective, as a matter that transcends the biological level of the disease and accounts for the social construction that blends practices, knowledge, imaginary and feelings.Key Words: Hemophilia A, chronic disease, mothers, caregivers. Significado de ser portadora de hemofiliaResumo                                   Objetivo: Analisar os significados construídos pelas mães de pessoas com hemofilia, sobre ser portadores da doença. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo qualitativo com foco no interacionismo simbólico, que, através de uma etnografia individualista e o uso de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, observações e revisão documental, resgatou o ponto de vista de 17 mães pertencentes à Liga Antioquia de Hemófilos que participaram voluntariamente e residem em diferentes municípios do departamento de Antioquia. Resultados: Os participantes se reconhecem como seres potenciais, ou seja, não apenas como transmissores ou cuidadores da doença de seus filhos, mas como sujeitos cognitivos de sua realidade que estão dispostos a refletir sobre sua aprendizagem e a incorporá-los em favor do relacionamento com eles mesmos e com os outros. Os significados mais relevantes são: começar a viver com hemofilia, assumir a doença, família, cuidados e educação, relacionar-se com os serviços de saúde, caminhar com algo que você não pode separar e perceber. Conclusões: A saúde coletiva é a possibilidade de ter uma abordagem mais abrangente para o processo saúde-doença-cuidado de grupos humanos, levando em consideração as condições econômicas, sociais e culturais nas quais estão registradas. A questão dos significados dessas mães revela o tecido do indivíduo e o coletivo como um problema que transcende o plano biológico da doença e explica a construção social em que as práticas, o conhecimento, o imaginário e os sentimentos convergem.Palavras-Chave: Cuidadores, doenças crônicas, hemofilia A, mães  


1987 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-11
Author(s):  
Margaret Cody ◽  
Erika Cornwell ◽  
Tash Dakos ◽  
Peter Harkin ◽  
Noeline White

AbstractRosemount is a centre which conducts a voluntary day attendance programme for unemployed 14½-17 year old adolescents.The programme includes small group work, workshops and counselling. The special feature of Rosemount as an agency is its three-tiered approach to working with adolescents: the individual, the family and the peer group.


Author(s):  
Sydney Hopkins

Children’s conceptual development has been described as a process of“theory change.” Specifically, children begin with an idea and then iteratively update that idea by combining existing and new information, making and testing predictions and then revising their idea based on new data again. Similar processes have been postulated to account for adaptive phenomenon in perceptual psychology and motor control. The similarities between the two processes suggest that performance on tasks that measure conceptual and sensory‐motor “theory change”respectively may be related. The goal of the present study is to determine whether children’s development in a complex conceptual domain, theory of mind, is associated with children’s performance in a load force adaptation paradigm. Theory of mind is broadly defined as the ability to understand how mental states, such as beliefs and desires, motivate ourown and other people’s actions. In contrast, load force adaptation is the ability to gradually adjust the amount of force exerted on an object in order to smoothly lift it up, as experience with the weight of the object is gained. To explore the mechanisms underlying these two processes, children between the ages of 3.5 and 4.5 years participate in a load force adaptation task and a battery of theory of mind tasks. We predict that since the underlying processes appear to be theoretically similar, the individual differences in the ability to adapt load force and in theory of mind ability will be positively correlated.   


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Ronnie Goodwin

Theory of Mind (ToM) is a conceptual theory that is credited with enabling individuals to anticipate the mental states of others, including their beliefs, desires, emotions, intentions, and additional emotive circumstances (Flavell, 2004). Linguistic acquisition is a natural development that begins to develop in children from birth and enables communication. The cognitive domains necessary to comprehend language is also required in order for the formation of ToM to develop. The interpretations made through ToM presumptions can contain the discernment of another’s false belief. In this context, the individual must be aware that the literal interpretation could be an inaccurate symbol or manufactured belief. This understanding requires a certain level of cognitive development in the child since the intention may be to signify something else and the child must be able to correctly process idiomatic expressions in order to accurately make ToM determinations (Caillies & Le Sourn-Bissaoui, 2008). This paper explores the relationship between ToM and linguistic acquisition in normally developing children, as well as those with various disabilities to ascertain the degree of cognitive development necessary in order to make ToM determinations. Exploration of this relationship reveals that linguistic and cognitive development are both essential in the construct of ToM perceptions in early childhood.


Author(s):  
Candida C. Peterson

Conversation in a shared language (spoken or signed) is not only a pleasurable social activity but also a fundamental building block for the growth of social cognition, including theory of mind (ToM). Participating in informal conversations at home and at school fosters cognitive development of ToM, which, in turn, fosters reciprocated friendship, peer-group popularity, leadership, and social skills, while protecting against loneliness and social isolation. These interconnections between ToM and conversation are explored with a special focus on deaf children, a population of key theoretical significance for the understanding of ToM development generally. Timely ToM growth is linked with (a) having access from birth to a language (spoken or signed) that all family members can fluently share, (b) frequent family discussions of cognitive mental states, (c) school-based access to varied peer and adult conversational partners, and (d) children’s own eagerness to participate in conversations exposing them to different mental viewpoints.


2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANE MILLAR ◽  
TESS RIDGE

AbstractLone mothers are a key target group for government policies to increase employment participation rates. Employment sustainability is central to achieving this goal and thus it is important to understand the factors that affect sustainability. When the lone mother starts work, her daily life changes in various ways, and so do the lives of her children, and perhaps also other family members who may become involved in childcare, or in other forms of help. These social relationships – at home, in work, in care settings, at school – may be a key element in employment sustainability, and one that has not yet been systematically explored in research. This article draws on data from an ongoing longitudinal qualitative study of lone mothers and their children, which has been following the families from the point that the mothers left income support and started working for at least 16 hours per week. The analysis starts from the assumption that sustaining work over time is a process that actively involves the family as a whole and not just the individual lone mother. In this article we explore how social relationships, inside and outside the family, are central to the ‘family–work project’ of sustaining employment.


Author(s):  
Yelena V. Gartvik

At present, the identification of psychological factors as a determinant of the illegal behaviour of adolescents is of great importance. The mental model allows explaining and predicting the behaviour of other people and reflecting one’s own mental inner reality. The study of the mental model in adolescents with delinquent and law-abiding behaviour using specially designed narratives provided us with the opportunity to analyse the understanding by adolescents, who have committed and not committed crimes, of the mental states of their own and that of another person, as well as the causes of such states in the process of social interactions. The ability to understand the mental world is paramount and necessary for understanding social interactions, for the correct formation of motives and semantic attitudes of the individual. The results of an empirical study allowed us to confirm the hypothesis that the deficit of the mental model is formed in the family; it is associated with the personality characteristics of the adolescent and, obviously, affects the formation of delinquent behaviour.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tessa Rusch ◽  
Jan Gläscher

The ability to from a Theory of Mind (ToM) that is to theorize about others mental states and explain and predict behavior in relation to attributed intentional states, constitutes a hallmark of human cognition. These abilities are multi-faceted and include a variety of different cognitive sub-functions. Here, we focus on decision processes in social contexts and review a number of experimental and computational modeling approaches in this field. We classify experimental accounts and formal computational models with respect to two categories: interactivity and uncertainty. Thereby, we aim at capturing the most relevant variations in ToM-related cognitive sub-functions and highlight the nuances of what broadly is referred to as social decisions processes. Finally, we discuss the most typical neuroimaging findings in light of the categorization results.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Zoë Rejaän ◽  
Inge E. van der Valk ◽  
Wendy M. Schrama ◽  
Irina van Aalst ◽  
Aoju Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract. A considerable number of children face the divorce or separation of their parents globally every year. As parental divorce is often accompanied by changes in the home and social environment of adolescents, they may experience a diminished sense of belonging to one or multiple social contexts, such as the family, school, peer group, or neighborhood, which can, in turn, influence their post-divorce adjustment. To gain insight into the mechanisms and conditions that affect adolescents’ sense of belonging following parental divorce, we have reviewed empirical research from multiple disciplines from a bio-ecological perspective. This review has shown that adolescents’ sense of belonging can be an important protective factor after parental divorce, and is affected by processes at the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrolevel. However, extensive knowledge on the determinants and mechanisms that affect adolescents’ belonging in the context of divorce remains lacking. Recommendations for future research are given, as a more thorough understanding of the factors that promote the belonging of adolescents in divorced families can be an important next step in promoting a higher quality of life for adolescents after parental divorce.


Author(s):  
Bardo Herzig ◽  
Sandra Aßmann

Learning processes of children, adolescents and adults do not only take place in formal contexts like school, but also in informal contexts, such as in the family or in one’s peer group, or in non-formal social contexts like clubs. In many of these learning processes media play a significant role – as an instrument and as a subject for learning. Therefore it is an important task for media education to describe and analyze such processes and to formulate pedagogical consequences for learning with and about media. To realize this challenge, it is helpful and necessary to develop a definition of media which is adequate for learning in different contexts of a mediatized society. We discuss three theoretical approaches: a network perspective, systems theory and semiotics to help us to create an appropriate definition of media offers. We use an everyday life example (communication with and via Facebook) to illustrate our argument.


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