Theory Of Mind

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

 

Attachments are posted!

 

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.

Ms. Serrano, a preschool teacher of 2- to 4-year-olds, took her class on a field trip to a nearby conservation park. Yao, a 4-year-old, excitedly ran up to Serrano, showing her a bug she found on a tree. A number of other children came up to see what the excitement was all about. Yao had many questions about the bug, as did the other children. They wanted to know what kind of bug it was, where its mommy and daddy were, what it ate, did it sleep, how big would it grow, and more. Then Stephen joined the group, holding up a multicolored rock he found in a creek. The children wanted to know if it was gold, if it was worth any money, and where it came from.

At first Serrano thought the children did not know much about bugs or rocks. She thought she had a considerable amount to teach them about science. However, she quickly realized they already knew a lot about both. Their questions suggested they understood that as a living thing, bugs had many of the same characteristics of other living things, such as needing food and rest, whereas rocks did not share those same properties. The children needed specific details to fill in the gaps of their knowledge.

Serrano took this opportunity to teach her students more about biology. She held up the bug and asked, “Who knows what kind of bug this is?” The children shouted out their answers. When she asked about the rock, a boy named Joshua wanted to know how big it would grow. Serrano then recognized that although children had a correct understanding of some concepts, they had a number of misconceptions as well. There were many challenges ahead, and she could not wait to get started.