Language and Thought : Cultural and Linguistic Influence on Developmental Neural Bases of Theory of Mind

Chiyoko Kobayashi

ISBN 10: 383646652X / ISBN 13: 9783836466523

Editore: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Mär 2008, 2008

Riguardo questo articolo

Neuware - Theory of mind (ToM) - ability to understand mental states of others - has been hypothesized to be a universal capacity. However, several cross-cultural studies that tested non Anglo-American children with the false-belief tasks found some variations in the developmental time course of ToM. Some of these studies found delays and others found advancements in the non-English speaking children. These results lead to a hypothesis that the neural basis that subserves the culture/language specific ToM may vary depending on the person's cultural/linguistic background. The research described in this book has tested this hypothesis in Japanese and American participants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results indicate that neural bases of ToM are not entirely universal and the variation is evident as early as 8 years of age. Theoretically, these results may also support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that posits that the person's language/culture sculpts his/her thoughts and the world view. This book is addressed to (but not limited to) social, cognitive developmental psychologists, neuroscientists, biologists, neurologists, philosophers, and linguists.

Codice articolo 9783836466523

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Language and Thought : Cultural and Linguistic Influence on Developmental Neural Bases of Theory of Mind
• Editore: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Mär 2008
• Data di pubblicazione: 2008
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 383646652X
• ISBN 13: 9783836466523
• Rilegatura: Taschenbuch
• Condizione: Neu

Descrizione articolo

Riassunto

Revision with unchanged content. Theory of mind (ToM) - ability to understand mental states of others - has been hypothesized to be a universal capacity. However, several cross-cultural studies that tested non Anglo-American children with the false-belief tasks found some variations in the developmental time course of ToM. Some of these studies found delays and others found advancements in the non-English speaking children. These results lead to a hypothesis that the neural basis that subserves the culture/language specific ToM may vary depending on the person's cultural/linguistic background. The research described in this book has tested this hypothesis in Japanese and American participants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results indicate that neural bases of ToM are not entirely universal and the variation is evident as early as 8 years of age. Theoretically, these results may also support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that posits that the person's language/culture sculpts his/her thoughts and the world view. This book is addressed to (but not limited to) social, cognitive developmental psychologists, neuroscientists, biologists, neurologists, philosophers, and linguists.

L'autore

A Japanese-born; Ph.D in Psychology from Cornell University, NY, in 2007, MS in Cellular & Molecular Physiology from Yale University, CT, in 2001, and BA in Psychology from Clark University, MA, in 1999.