Theory of Mind, Self-knowledge and Perceptions of Play in Adolescents Sandra Bosacki a , Flavia Pissoto Moreira a , Valentina Sitnik a , & Victoria Talwar b a Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, CANADA b McGill University, Montreal, QC, CANADA SRCD, Mar 22, 2019, Baltimore, MD
Explore the individual differences and the connections among adolescents’ social-cognition (ToM), self-knowledge and drawings of play Social Cognition OBJECTIVE Play/Leisure Self-Knowledge Activities and Well-being 2
Advanced Theory of Mind (ToM) Ability to label and explain mental and emotional states in self and other; usually emerges between 6 and 8 years of age (Carpendale & Chandler, 1996; Saarni, 1999). Self-Knowledge DEFINITIONS Understanding of oneself as a conceptual, psychological being (Damon & Hart, 1988; Harter, 1999). Leisure or Play activities ‘ the context of free time in combination with the expectation of preference experience’ (Kleiber, 1999, p. 11). Play provides context for growth in self-knowledge, ToM and social- communication skills, and relationships (Dunn, 2006).
ToM, self knowledge, and play experiences • Studies show there are reciprocal influences between play and moral and social reasoning ( Steinberg, 2014; 2015) EMPIRICAL Past research suggests that social cognitive and moral emotional • EVIDENCE abilities may partially underlie the links between ToM and play or leisure experiences (Hughes, 2011). • Few studies on relations among adolescents’ social cognitive abilities (ToM), self-knowledge, and play experiences (Lecce et al., 2014) Higher levels of ToM and self knowledge à higher rates of play and • leisure activities and social competence (Bosacki et al., 2009; Richer, 1990), g > b (Bosacki et al., 2017) 4
Confusing Conundrums? Lack of research on the gendered, developmental linkages among • ToM, self-knowledge, and perceptions of enjoyable play or leisure activities in adolescents (Devine & Hughes, 2013) Need for researchers to explore the cyclic and reciprocal patterns • EMPIRICAL that determine how social cognitive processes influence, and are EVIDENCE influenced by, young people’s play life experiences (physical and psychosocial) Hi social reasoning and self-knowledge =/ enjoyable leisure or play • experiences. 5
RESEARCH Do individual differences and relations QUESTION exist over time among adolescents’ ToM, self-knowledge, and play experiences? 6
Participants 146 Euro-Canadian children from 8 schools within middle SES, semi- rural neighbourhoods (97 girls, 12.5y)(Y1) and 46 (Y2) (33 girls; 13.5 y) Procedure METHOD Participants completed group-administered tasks within a school • setting Measures included paper-and pencil standardized, self-report • questionnaires on self-perceived competence, self-understanding and drawings of leisure or play activities. 7
Theory of Mind (ToM) Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test 3 rd Ed. (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001). Self Knowledge • Self-Understanding interview - distinctiveness, continuity, agency (Damon & Hart, 1988). MEASURES • Self-Descriptions (coded for content and MSL). Drawings of Play or Leisure activities (Richer, 1990). • Drawing content (e.g., people, objects, activities). • Mental State Language (MSL) (e.g., think, happy, sad). • Social content or # of persons depicted (e.g., social = >1, solitary = 1, asocial= 0)
Positive (+) corr: T1 ToM and T1 MSL play drawings Positive (+) corr: T2 ToM and T2 SU Regression showed: T1 ToM predicted T2 SU • RESULTS T1 SU predicted T2 ToM (bi-directional) • Girls > boys in ToM at both times (see Figure 1) Older > younger in self-understanding (SU) Freq. drawing activities: Sports/ physical > arts > social in both times (see Figure 2) • 9
Figure 1. ToM and self-understanding scores (Mean)
Figure 2. Frequency of Play Activities
ANOVAs were conducted with the drawing type (asocial, solitary, social) as IV, and the self and drawing MSL and drawing content as DV: Patterns of mean scores showed a nonsignificant trend for those • participants who drew solitary activities scored the highest MSL in leisure drawings. RESULTS Participants who drew asocial activities (e.g., television, computer) • scored highest MSL in Self-understanding (SU) and Self-description (SD) Participants who drew social activities (e.g., sport activity) had • scored lowest MSL in SU, and SD. # of animals depicted: social activities > solitary > asocial. • 12
In summary, the present results suggest that: youth with high levels of ToM also reported high levels of self- • understanding ToM remained stable across 2 years • Girls only: RESULTS Links between ToM and self-understanding remained positive • over the 2 years Reported high affective ToM and high levels school engagement • No gender diffs in self-knowledge • G > B social, art, and self-care B > G physical/sport and social media 13
Results support past research that suggests social cognition (ToM, MSL), self-knowledge, and play activities are multifaceted and complex (Hughes, et al., 2016) Youth who scored high on ToM reported high levels of self- • knowledge DISCUSSION Results provide empirical groundwork for curriculum development in: › Personal and social skills aimed to promote social cognition, self- knowledge, and socioemotional literacy. › A psychological-focused curriculum aimed to foster emotional well- being, and prosocial, socially responsible goals within play and leisure contexts. 14
Examine links between ToM and self-knowledge within play contexts • during adolescence Focus on sociocultural factors that may influence social cognition, self- • knowledge, and play activities: › Role of language (expressive and receptive) NEW DIRECTIONS › Gender › Family structure and background (financial/cultural) Educational implications include development of curriculum aimed to • foster well-being and prosocial actions through moral and psychological language and play activities (solitary, asocial, and social) Adapt a psychocultural approach to research on the development of • adolescents’ social cognition, self-knowledge, and prosocial behaviours (Bruner, 1996) 15
• This work was supported in part by an insight research grant to the author from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (#435-2015-0010). We thank the schools, children, parents, and teachers who • participated in this study. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • We thank Ghazala Ahmed, Malak Askar, Megan Braumeister, Maria, Coccigmilio, Keeley Dutcher, Emily Eichner, Kendra Marotta, Shanen Smith, Sajitha Vinod, for their help with data collection and data coding. 16
THANK YOU! Correspondence: Sandra Bosacki Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Education Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1 E-mail: sandra.bosacki@brocku.ca Website: https://brocku.ca/theory-of-mind-lab/ 17
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