1. Theory of Mind Gallagher, H. L., & Frith, C. D. (2003)

2. Theory of Mind Our ability to explain and predict other people’s behavior by attributing to them independent mental states

3. Theory of Mind Our ability to explain and predict other people’s behavior by attributing to them independent mental states This enables us to deceive, cooperate, and empathize with others Also aids in predicting the behaviors of others

4. Theory of Mind How can we study the mechanisms involved in having a theory of mind? ◦Autism Studies

5. Autism Studies A characteristic of Autism is a selective impairment in theory of mind ◦This accounts for deficits in communication, socialization, and imagination

6. Autism Studies A characteristic of Autism is a selective impairment in theory of mind ◦This accounts for deficits in communication, socialization, and imagination ◦Sabotage/Deception Task

8. Leslie’s Model of Mentalizing The theory of mind mechanism depends on a representation of imaginary circumstances ‘decoupled’ from reality

9. Ice Cream!

10. What informs our expectations? General knowledge of the world

11. What informs our expectations? General knowledge of the world Specific knowledge of this person

12. What informs our expectations? General knowledge of the world Specific knowledge of this person Observations of what he or she is doing

13. General Knowledge of the World Scripts record the particular goals and activities which take place in a particular setting at a particular time. ◦Such as the ‘restaurant script’

14. Neuroimaging

15. Neuroimaging Anterior paracingulate cortex

16. Neuroimaging Superior temporal sulcus

17. Neuroimaging Anterior paracingulate cortex Superior temporal sulcus Temporal poles

18. Neuroimaging Anterior paracingulate cortex Superior temporal sulcus Temporal poles Amygdala

19. Neuroimaging Anterior paracingulate cortex Superior temporal sulcus Temporal poles Amygdala Orbitofrontal cortex

20. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex Gallagher et al. (2002)

21. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex Gallagher et al. (2002) ◦The anterior paracingulate cortex lit up in the “mentalizing group”

22. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex Gallagher et al. (2002) ◦The anterior paracingulate cortex lit up in the “mentalizing group” McCabe et al. (2001)

23. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex Gallagher et al. (2002) ◦The anterior paracingulate cortex lit up in the “mentalizing group” McCabe et al. (2001) ◦The anterior paracingulate cortex lit up for the group playing “trust and reciprocity games” with human counterparts

24. Off-line vs. On-line Mentalizing Off-line mentalizing ◦Mentalizing outside of a situation

25. Off-line vs. On-line Mentalizing Off-line mentalizing ◦Mentalizing outside of a situation On-line mentalizing ◦Mentalizing in real time

26. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex

27. Lesion Studies ◦People with lesions on the right side of their frontal lobe have difficulty detecting deception in others

28. Anterior Paracingulate Cortex Lesion Studies ◦People with lesions on the right side of their frontal lobe have difficulty detecting deception in others Duncan and Owen (2001) ◦The dorsal part of the anterior cingulate cortex activated with increased task difficulty, but the anterior paracingulate activated during mentalizing

29. Superior Temporal Sulcus

30. Gallagher et al (2000) ◦The right superior temporal sulcus is associated with understanding the meaning of stories and cartoons involving people without having to necessarily mentalize

31. Superior Temporal Sulcus Causality and intentionality in settings involving people Attribution of intentions and movements of geometric shapes Taking the self-perspective

32. Superior Temporal Sulcus Biological Motion

33. Superior Temporal Sulcus Biological Motion ◦Hand actions ◦Body movements ◦Mouth movements and lip reading ◦Eye movements and gaze direction

34. Superior Temporal Sulcus Narumoto et al. (2001) ◦The right superior temporal sulcus is part of a network of face-responsive brain regions.

35. Temporal Poles

36. Recollection of familiar faces and scenes Recognition of familiar voices Emotional memory retrieval Autobiographical memory retrieval

37. Amygdala

40. Amygdala Makes quick, automatic judgments in socially salient situations

41. Orbitofrontal Cortex

42. Responds to aversive reactions of others, particularly anger

43. Orbitofrontal Cortex Stone et al. (1998) ◦Patients with bilateral damage to the orbitofrontal cortex were impaired in a ‘faux pas test’

44. Theory of Mind Involves a network of several brain areas which work together to help us