Describe how developmental psychologists determine whether infants have a sense of self. Then discuss how the "theory of mind" is related to one's sense of self. Finally, discuss how theory of mind may be involved in those who suffer from autism spectrum disorder

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The textbook presents several methods for assessing a child's sense of self. Some examples include using a mirror to see if a child recognizes that their reflection is actually a picture of themselves, and using photographs of themselves and/or other children. The type of language children use also gives indications of their level of self-awareness. False-belief tasks may also be useful to assess a child's theory of mind.
Theory of mind refers to a child's ability to distinguish between their physical and mental selves. The excellent answer will use the material from the textbook to identify the developmental sequence of theory of mind, beginning in infancy and going up through ages five through six years.
With regard to autism spectrum disorders, the delay or absence of the ability of many such children to overcome a false-belief task suggests that there is an absence of theory of mind, or "mindblindness," that may be a central component of ASD.