Developmental continuity in coordination of perspectives as an alternative to the implicit and explicit theory of mind controversy

The dichotomy between explicit and implicit theory of mind remains controversial. This study proposed a developmental and social-constructionist perspective that challenges this notion through a model showing that coordination of perspectives (CoP) is a continuously developing ability in children. Our tested model comprises eight distinct abilities that emerge sequentially. We tested our model using 25 different tasks in a longitudinal six-wave study with 300 native Polish children aged from 1 year ( M T1 = 1 year 0 months; SD T1 = 1.73 weeks; 44% girls) to 3.5 years ( M T6 = 3 years 6 months; SD T6 = 1.81 weeks; 45% girls). All children were Caucasian; both parents of 54% children had university degree. Structural equation modeling with factor scores for each of the eight abilities was used to verify the fit of obtained data. We provide preliminary support for distinguishing six abilities: (a) immediate social perspective-tracking and taking at age of 1 year, (b) deferred social perspective-tracking and visual perspective-taking as an intermediate step at age of 2 years, and (c) epistemic perspective-tracking and taking at 3.5 years. Using our new nomenclature-emphasizing the function of coordination of own and another person perspective in social situations-we found that development of mindreading begins when infants coordinate their bodily-expressed orientations with those of others, and by the age of 4 is manifested by coordinating own and others mental states. Thus, we support the idea of heterotypic continuity of mindreading development. Development of CoP and difference between perspective-tracking and taking should be further elucidated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Empathy · Perspective (graphical · Perspective-taking · Social cognition · Theory of mind · Tracking (education · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child and Animal Learning Development · Educational and Psychological Assessments · Psychology · Social Psychology

• Is there continuity from implicit recognition of intentional action in infants to explicit mindreading in preschoolers? Systematic review of longitudinal evidence and theoretical implications ( ¿Hay continuidad entre el reconocimiento implícito de la acción intencional en bebés y la lectura de mente explícita en preescolares? Revisión sistemática de la evidencia longitudinal e implicaciones teóricas )

  Open Access•Anyerson Stiths Gómez Tabares•Journal for the Study of…•2023

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