Theory of mind development from adolescence to adulthood: Testing the two-component model
The ability to infer mental and affective states of others is crucial for social functioning. This ability, denoted as Theory of Mind (ToM), develops rapidly during childhood, yet results on its development across adolescence and into young adulthood are rare. In the present study, we tested the two‐component model, measuring age‐related changes in social‐perceptual and social‐cognitive ToM in a sample of 267 participants between 11 and 25 years of age. Additionally, we measured language, reasoning, and inhibitory control as major covariates. Participants inferred mental states from non‐verbal cues in a social‐perceptual task (Eye Test) and from stories with faux pas in a social‐cognitive t…
The Ontogenesis of Action Syntax
Language and action share similar organizational principles. Both are thought to be hierarchical and recursive in nature. Here we address the relationship between language and action from developmental and neurophysiological perspectives. We discuss three major aspects: The extent of the analogy between language and action; the necessity to extend research on the yet largely neglected aspect of action syntax; the positive contribution of a developmental approach to this topic. We elaborate on the claim that adding an ontogenetic approach will help to obtain a comprehensive picture about both the interplay between language and action and its development, and to answer the question whether th…
The kleineWeltentdecker App - A Smartphone-Based Developmental Diary
Today, a vast number of tools exist to measure development in early childhood in avariety of domains such as cognition, language, or motor, cognition. These tools vary in different aspects. Either, children are examined by a trained experimenter, or caregivers fill out questionnaires. The tools are applied in the controlled setting of a laboratory or in the children’s natural environment. While these tools provide a detailed picture of the current state of children’s development, they are at the same time subject to several constraints. Furthermore, the measurement of an individual child’s change of different skills over time requires not only one measurement but high-density longitudinal a…