Why Language Matters for Theory of Mind

by Janet Wilde Astington (Editor), Jodie A. Baird (Editor)

Overview

"Theory of mind" is the phrase researchers use to refer to children's understanding of people as mental beings, who have beliefs, desires, emotions, and intentions, and whose actions and interactions can be interpreted and explained by taking account of these mental states. The gradual development of children's theory of mind, particularly during the early years, is by now well described in the research literature. What is lacking, however, is a decisive explanation of how children acquire this understanding. Recent research has shown strong relations between children's linguistic abilities and their theory of mind. Yet exactly what role these abilities play is controversial and uncertain. The purpose of this book is to provide a forum for the leading scholars in the field to explore thoroughly the role of language in the development of the theory of mind. This volume will appeal to students and researchers in developmental and cognitive psychology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195159912
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/24/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.52(w) x 9.54(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

University of Toronto

Villanova University

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Why language matters: Introduction to the volume, Janet Wilde Astington & Jodie A. BairdChapter 2. Language pathways into the community of minds, Katherine NelsonChapter 3. Communication, relationships, and individual differences in children's understanding of mind, Judy Dunn and Marcia BrophyChapter 4. Conversation, pretense and theory of mind, Paul L. HarrisChapter 5. Talking about "new" information: The given/new distinction and children's developing theory of mind, Danielle K. O'NeillChapter 6. The developmental origins of meaning for mental terms, Derek E. MontgomeryChapter 7. Language promotes structural alignment in the acquisition of mentalistic concepts, Dare Baldwin & Megan SaylorChapter 8. Language and the development of cognitive flexibility, Sophie Jaques & Philip David ZelazoChapter 9. Representational development and false-belief understanding, Janet WildeChapter 10. Can language acquisition give children a point of view?, Jill G. de VilliersChapter 11. What does "that" have to do with point of view? Conflicting desires and "want" in German., Josef Perner, Petra Zauner, & Manuel SprungChapter 12. Linguistic communication and social understanding, Heidemarie Lohmann, Michael Tommasello, and Sonja MeyerChapter 13. The role of language in theory-of-mind development: What deaf children tell us., Peter A. de VilliersChapter 14. How language facilitates the acquisition of false-belief understanding in children with autism, Helen Tager-Flusberg and Robert M. JosephChapter 15. Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in language and theory of mind: Common or distinct?, Claire Hughes

Editorial Reviews

"...very interesting reading."—PsycCRITIQUES

"...this book offers all the inspiration and a good deal of the background necessary for child language researchers to start contributing to ToM-language debate."—Child Language

From the Publisher