Mental verb input for promoting children's theory of mind: A training study

An experimental study investigated the effect of the type of mental verb input (i.e., input with think, know, and remember) on preschoolers’ theory of mind development. Preschoolers ( n = 72) heard 128 mental verb utterances presented in video format across four sessions over two weeks. The training...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive development 2012, Vol.27 (1), p.64-76
Main Author: Gola, Alice Ann Howard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beliefs
Cognitive Development
False belief
Interaction
Overheard vs. interactive mental state language
Preschool Children
Scaffolding (Teaching Technique)
Teaching Methods
Theory of Mind
Training study
Verbs
Video Technology
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Summary:An experimental study investigated the effect of the type of mental verb input (i.e., input with think, know, and remember) on preschoolers’ theory of mind development. Preschoolers ( n = 72) heard 128 mental verb utterances presented in video format across four sessions over two weeks. The training conditions differed only in the way the mental verbs were presented: the form (statement or question), the referent (first person or other person), and the interaction style (overheard or interactive). Children who overheard the characters discussing the mental states of someone else, either in statement or question form, significantly improved in their false belief understanding. These experimental findings demonstrate mental verb utterances about other people, even when not directed to the child, scaffold children's attention to differing perspectives, thus more efficiently promoting some aspects of their ToM development.
ISSN:0885-2014
1879-226X
DOI:10.1016/j.cogdev.2011.10.003