Theory of Mind- Understanding Early Childhood Social Cognition
One of my favorite debates within the research of early childhood cognition is the concept of the theory of mind. It’s a fascinating concept that is crucial in the development of social cognition. Have you ever noticed that when you ask your child to pick something out for someone else, they might choose something they would want (especially how hard this is when purchasing gifts for others)? Or the constant back and forth of - “No!” “Yes!” “No!” “Yes!” - when your child and their friend have different opinions on which princess is better. (Seems like Elsa always wins) Theory of mind refers to the understanding of other people as mental beings, each with their own mental states- such as thoughts, wants, motives, and feelings. It’s the capacity to attribute mental states to oneself and others and to understand that these mental states influence behavior.
Most of the literature around the theory of mind (TOM) suggests that it typically emerges around ages 3-5 and evolves in more sophistication as the child grows older. During the preschool years, children become increasingly aware of their own mental states and, slowly, those of others, leading to more complex social interactions and understanding. While many factors contribute to the development of TOM, one of the most significant is social interaction, as children learn from their observations and interactions with others. Language is another crucial factor. Language enables children to express and understand thoughts and emotions more effectively. Recently, more research has linked the ways in which language development is an essential link to TOM development. Brain regions involved in language processing support the comprehension and cognitive foundations for expressing and, therefore, understanding thoughts, beliefs, desires, and emotions.
More recent studies have questioned the developmental trajectory of TOM by conducting other experiments that suggest that TOM begins to emerge in infancy. By using infant-centric means of research, such as testing for eye gaze, researchers have found that even 18-month-olds have an early sense of TOM, although they are not fully aware of it. As children grow and have more experience with the world, they begin to manifest these skills in more conscientious and intentional ways that show us that they’re able to acknowledge that their likes are different from their likes.
While TOM is a universal aspect of human cognition, its manifestation and development may vary across cultures. Cultural practices, values, and socialization techniques greatly influence how children perceive and understand the minds of others. Research suggests that collectivist cultures that place more emphasis on interdependence and group harmony tend to develop TOM differently, as there is more emphasis on understanding and navigating social relationships within the context of the group. It can also have effects on how children perceive and understand the thoughts and emotions of others, as these cultures are more attuned to social dynamics and group norms. On the other hand, in individualist cultures, where independence and personal goals are valued, TOM develops in a way that focuses on recognizing individual differences and perspectives. It’s essential to recognize that, like most things, the cultural influence on development functions on a spectrum, and some children can have qualities of both, especially in such a diverse and culturally rich environment as the one we currently live in.
While each child develops at their own pace, there is a general model of how TOM typically progresses. Each stage is marked by increasing complexity in understanding the mental states of oneself and others. These stages are broadly defined and vary from child to child as well as from culture to culture.
Infancy and Early Toddlerhood (0-2):
During this initial stage, infants and young toddlers are primarily focused on their own experiences and immediate needs. They are still developing the comprehensive skills and cognitive abilities to understand the mental states of others. At this stage, infants and young toddlers begin to develop basic social skills such as joint attention and imitation.
Late Toddlerhood to Early Childhood (late 2s-4s):
During this stage, more nuanced glipses of of TOM can be observed.. Children start to recognize that others have thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that can be different from their own. Their understanding of basic emotions and intentions begins to emerge and deepen as they start to grasp concepts like pretend play and deception. This stage is characterized by the development of perspective-taking skills and an increasing ability to infer the mental stages of others based on observable behaviors.
Middle Childhood and Beyond (5yrs +)
As children refine their TOM abilities and develop a more nuanced understanding of the mental states of others, they become better at understanding false beliefs and hidden emotions. They also begin to engage in more sophisticated social interactions and deeper perspective-taking tasks. This stage is marked by the continued development of empathy, moral reasoning, and social cognition, which contributes to the child’s ability to navigate complex social relationships and understand the perspectives of others.
During their early years, children can seem quite egocentric as they still struggle to consider the perspectives of others. This egocentrism is natural and is reflective of their cognitive abilities at their stage of development. While each child’s developmental trajectory is unique, there are some strategies that we can employ to help support TOM development in our preschoolers:
Encourage perspective-taking:
Engaging your child in conversations that encourage them to consider how others might feel or think in different situations- such as in books or when they’re interacting with friends. Prompting perspective-taking can be a stretch, but it will help to set a foundation for this skill as it develops.
Model empathy and understanding:
Children always look up to their trusted grown-ups and observe how they interact with the world. Modeling empathy and understanding in your interactions with others can help to promote empathy towards themselves and others. Point out emotions and perspectives in everyday situations, helping your child develop a vocabulary for understanding the feelings of others. It’ll sound like you’re narrating (which is a good thing) as it helps to explain what might feel too abstract for young children.
Promote cooperative play:
Encourage activities that require cooperation and negotiation, especially as your 2s begin to shift from their independent parallel play stages into their constructive and cooperative play stages! This social leap in play is a great time to practice patience, learn that everyone deserves their time with an object/toy (even themselves), and they can let others into their play! As children go into their 3s and 4s, you’ll notice more and more cooperative play blossom with active co-creating of worlds in their imaginative play.
Read stories with diverse characters:
Try to have books and stories featuring characters from diverse backgrounds and experiences. It’s easy to limit our experiences to the bubble that we live in, so take advantage of the wide array of stories that exist about all the ways to feel, be, and experience the world.
Understanding where your child is within their social cognitive development can help caregivers do many things, but primarily laugh! When we understand kids’ brains more, we can understand what they are cognitively capable of and meet them with more understanding (and humor!) rather than frustration based on their behaviors, even if they seem self-serving or selfish. Ultimately, we do want all children to grow into compassionate humans who have empathy and care. We can continue coaching them through social situations and focus on explaining the world around them in concrete and simple ways to support their growth and development as they slowly acquire these skills with our help.
