Theory of Mind is a theory of psychological and developmental roots that is defined by the ability of a child to attribute mental states such as beliefs, feelings, knowledge, thoughts, intents to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs and feelings that are differentthan one’s own. The diagram below represents the five foundational components of theory of mind that emerge between ages 2 and 5 that were shared in Chapter 6 of our course text, Cognitive development of children: Research and application . Understanding this developmental sequence is critical in being able to support children as they grow and develop cognitively
Choose one of the scenarios below to create an example for:
- Option 1: Provide an example of one conceptual perspective-taking challenge a child faces when interacting with teachers and peers upon entry into preschool or kindergarten.
- Option 2: Provide an example of how 3- and 4-year-old children’s gullibility places them at risk.
- Option 3: Provide an example of either a drawback or benefit of trying to accelerate preschoolers’ understanding of deception.
- Option 4: Provide an example of how you can apply Theory of Mind to understanding symptoms associated with either autism or Asperger’s disorders.
Next, complete the Week Three Discussion Two Web Template by placing your example in the centerof the web and including your answer to each of the questions that are posted within the outside bubbles of the web. Finally, in a three to four sentence summary, evaluate how the information in your web supports the relationship between Theory of Mind and other developmental domains. Make
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This assignments should be at least 350 words in APA format.
Required Resource
Farrar, M.J. & Montgomery, D. (2015). Cognitive Development of Children: Research and Application. San Diego, CA; Bridgepoint Education
Recommended Resources
Autism Speaks. (2010). Executive functioning and theory of mind. Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/documents/as-hfa/ef_tm_as-hfa_tool_kit.pdf This article discusses the development of executive functions and Theory of Mind in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and may assist you with your Theory of Mind discussion.
Gelman, S. A. (2009). Learning from others: Children’s construction of concepts. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 115–140. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093659 Go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2829654/ to access the full-text version of this article. This article focuses on Piaget and how his stages of cognitive development relate to conceptual development and may be beneficial for your Cognitive and Conceptual Development discussion.
Lugo-Gil, J., & Tamis-LeMonda, C. S. (2008). Family resources and parenting quality: Links to children’s cognitive development across the first 3 Years. Child Development, 79(4), 1065-1085. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01176.x
Wright, B. C., & Mahfoud, J. (2014). A teacher-centered exploration of the relevance of social factors to theory of mind development. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 55(1), 17-25. doi:10.1111/sjop.12085
The “false belief” test: Theory of mind [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hLubgpY2_w This video shows an example of a children engaging in a false belief task and may be beneficial for your Theory of Mind discussion.
