Does Spatial Navigation predict Theory of Mind in 4-year-old children? The roles of Age and Verbal Ability
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2018-02-03
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en
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Abstract
The main goal of this study was to investigate if spatial navigation in four-yearold
children predicts the performance on theory of mind (ToM) and whether their
age and verbal ability played a role in this. If spatial navigation predicts theory of
mind, this would support the Self-Projection Theory (Buckner & Carrol, 2007).
This theory proposes that self-projection, an overarching mechanism to mentally
change perspective, is used for both spatial navigation and theory of mind.
Seventy-five four-year-old children participated in this study. Spatial navigation,
theory of mind and verbal ability were measured using: a ‘map-task’, a ‘false
belief content task’ and a ‘vocabulary task’. All data was analysed using IBM
SPSS Statistics. The results of the study suggest that spatial navigation and the
age of the child do not significantly predict the performance of ToM. The results
did suggest that verbal ability was significantly predictive for ToM. If the child
performed better on the vocabulary task, the chance of passing the false belief
task (measuring ToM) increased. Verbal ability seems important for the
understanding of the beliefs of others (ToM). This might be explained by the fact
that both verbal ability and ToM require social experience and linguistic skills.
Future research could include measurements for social experience, bigger sample
sizes with a broader age-range and more trials measuring ToM.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen