Theory of Mind (Adult Conceptions)

ADULTSThoughts are different than things

Beliefs are different from actuality

Desires are different from outcomes

Fantasy is unconstrained by factuality

Mind is private and individual

False Belief Tasks: Stories often depend on them

Multiple layers of mental processing representation

My wife knew I didn’t take out the trash last night, and I knew she knew this, but I didn’t know she knew that I knew she knew…

#5 Seeing leads to knowing The role of eyes in cognition, emotional expression, social communication

#9 Eyes reveal intentions, thoughts

#19 Decode complex mental states from eye region

#10 Monitor own intentions

#8 Social JudgmentsJudge social normalcy of each [ ]

The market where Tommy always shopped had a small sign on the door that read “Bare Feet Prohibited in this Shop by Law”. One summer day Tommy saw a girl his age enter the store without shoes. Tommy wanted to warn her about the sign but he was too shy to speak up. So he pushed his cart close behind hers down aisle after aisle [ abnormal; HFA normal].

Once or twice the girl looked back at him with a cross expression. Suddenly she wheeled into the express checkout with 12 items in her basket although the sign said “FOR 10 OR FEWER ITEMS [ normal; HFA abnormal].

Tommy was more upset than ever. This girl was tempting fate, but he relaxed when the checkout person let the girl through. Just then the barefoot girl turned back and said to him “Buzz off or I’ll call the cops [normal; HFA abnormal ]

HFA= high functioning autistic

Theory of Mind tests1. Mental-physical distinction (e.g. thinking vs holding dog) 2. Function of the mind3. Reality-appearance distinction (Apple-shaped candle)4. False belief tasks (1st order) (What might she be thinking?)5. Seeing leads to knowing6. Recognizing mental-state words; spontaneous use7. Spontaneous pretend play8. Understanding complex causes of emotion (stories)9. Eyes reveal intentions, thoughts10. Monitor own intentions11. Deception12. Understanding metaphor, sarcasm, irony13. Pragmatics in speech, violations14. Sensitivities to listener’s mental state (faux pas test)15. Imagination (draw unreal object like 2-headed platypus)16. Real life social skills17. 2nd-order FB tests (mental states about others’ mental states >6y)18. Understanding complex mental stories (e.g., double bluff)19. Decoding complex mental states from eye region

AQ – Autism Quotient (modified) for high

functioning autistics1. I find it hard to make new friends. 2. I do not usually enjoy social occasions

3 I prefer to do things the same way over and over again. 4. I find it difficult to do more than one thing at once.

5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.6. I usually concentrate more on the small details than the whole picture. 7. I like to collect information about categories of things (e.g., types of cars, birds, trains, plants). 8. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.

9. I find it easy to 'read between the lines' when someone is talking to me. 10. When I talk on the phone, I'm not sure when it's my turn to speak.

Social skills

Attention switching

Attention to detail

Imagination

Communication

8 AS/HFA4 Scientists3 Normal

Module theory evidence?Human Frontal lobe relative to other

primates

Primate Differences in Prefrontal Cortex (area

10)

Role of Cingulate in Mentalizing

Maximum activity in anterior paracingulate cortex when subjects adopted an ‘intentional

stance’

Stone, paper, scissors against human or computerRandom sequence, but imagined an ‘intentional stance’ in playing human

Spindle cell density

AUTISMa neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts cognition and behavior

Schizophrenia also a neurodevelopmental disorder

In 1943 Leo Kanner studied 11 children in USA with “early infantile autism”. In 1940s Hans Asperger in Austria studied 400 children with “autistic psychopathy.” “Auto” –child is locked within him/herselfConsidered an emotional disturbance for first 30-40 years of study

WHAT IS AUTISM?Abnormal brain development affecting social interaction and communication skills.

Difficult to communicate with others and relate to the outside world.

Hans Asperger (1906-1980)

Pediatrician described group of boys with:

poor social interactions failures in communication narrow interests

“a personality disorder”His work, translated into English in 1981, challenged view of autism as silent, aloof child caused by lack of mothering

Led to Autistic Spectrum model

“ The nature of these children is revealed most clearly in their behavior towards other people. Indeed, their behavior in the social group is the clearest sign of their disorder and the source of conflicts from earliest childhood.”

WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM?

Broad group of pervasive developmental disordersTypically appears first 3 years of life

Unusual responses to peopleAttachment to objectsResistance to change in routineSensory sensitivitiesRepeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking).

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Autism

Disorder

Asperger’s

Syndrome

PDD-NOS Rett’s DisintegrativeDisorder

1. Autistic DisorderImpairments in 1. social interaction2. communication, and 3. motor function

Apparent before age 3.Restricted interests and activities

2. Asperger’s DisorderImpairments in 1. social interaction2. no significant general delay in language

Sometimes hyperverbal

3. motor function

Restricted interestsDiagnosed at 7 to 9 years of age or older

3. Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified

(PDD-NOS)

Often referred to as atypical autismUsed when child does not meet specific diagnostic criteria, but show severe and pervasive impairment in social behavior, nonverbal communication

Causes of autismAbnormalities in brain development/neurochemistry, with genetic factorsNot Bettleheim’s psychogenesis

Autism PrevalencePredominantly in boys

(80%, 90% Aspergers)Hypermale modelSystems vs Empathy

1 in 200 births,with 1/16 repeated chance

Runs in families (and with schizophrenia)

1. Communication disturbances

Broad range of abilities, from no verbal communication to hyper-verbal

About half will never develop useful language

A. Delayed languagePronoun reversal: “You want a popsicle.”Difficulty in shifting topics

B. EcholaliaC. Pragmatic shortcomings

No knack for the “conversational arts”.Lack of reciprocity --talks ‘at you’ Inappropriate topics (e.g., train schedules)

2. Impaired Social Interactions

Impaired use of nonverbal behavior such as poor eye contact

Lack of peer relationshipsLack of joint attention

spontaneously share enjoyment with others

Lack of reciprocityTheory of mind deficits

3. Behaviors

Repetitive behaviorsobsessions, tics, perseverationsself-stims like hand flapping and rockinginflexible adherence to nonfunctional routines or rituals 

May insist on particular furniture arrangement, food at meals, TV showsNeed for symmetry

4. Intellectual functioningAutism occurs in children of all levels of intelligence, from gifted to mentally impairedOriginally judged as mental retarded

75% below 70 IQ in previous decades

Verbal and reasoning skills difficultWeak central coherence

Savant syndrome

Savant Syndrome (previously Idiot Savant)

1 in 10 autistics exhibit savant skills

Kim Peek, Mega-Savant, Rainman

“If the World Was Left to You Socialites, We Would Still Be in Caves Talking to Each Other” - Temple Grandin

Anthropologists from Mars (due to social blindness)

Individuals with Autism Spectrum

People with autism spectrum disorderTemple Grandin (high-functioning)

Living people widely suspected (but not confirmed) to have autism spectrum disorderSteven Spielberg (Asperger's)

http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/encyclopedia/s/st/steven_spielberg.html

David Byrne Bill Gates Bob Dylan Syd Barrett

Historical examples of suspected autism spectrum disorder

Albert Einstein Thomas Jefferson J.R.R. Tolkien Ludwig Wittgenstein Glenn Gould Howard Hughes Andy Warhol

Autism & Science Hans Asperger (1979)

“It seems that for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential. For success, the necessary ingredient may be an ability to turn away from the everyday world, from the simply practical, an ability to re-think a subject with originality so as to create in new untrodden ways, with all abilities (channeled) into the one’s speciality.” (1979).