Social cognition in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

INTRODUCTION: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic pathology that can lead to impaired social functioning that has a negative impact on patients' quality of life. To date, although the hypothesis of impaired social cognition has been proposed as a potential explanation for these difficulties, very few studies have focused on theory of mind in children with NF1. Furthermore, other complex sociocognitive abilities have never been investigated. The aim of the present study was to assess theory of mind, moral reasoning, and social information processing in children with NF1 compared with a control group. METHOD: We administered the Paediatric Evaluation of Emotions, Relationships and Socialization® to 38 children with NF1 aged between 8 years and 16 years 11 months (mean = 11.4, SD = 2.3) and 43 control children with comparable sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Patients performed significantly worse than controls on moral reasoning and social information processing tests, but there was no significant difference on theory of mind. CONCLUSIONS: These results seem to confirm the presence of social cognition difficulties in NF1 that could explain, at least in part, their social difficulties, although not all dimensions are concerned. The differences between the processes we assessed are discussed in relation to the methodologies used to measure them, and raises questions about the complementarity of traditional tools and more ecological assessments.

Social cognition in adult survivors of brain tumors: studying the relationship between theory of mind and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: The present study is the first to examine theory of mind (ToM) sequelae in a sample of adult survivors of primary brain tumors, and to investigate the assumed relationship between ToM and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHOD: Participants were 40 long-term adult survivors of primary brain tumors and 40 matched healthy controls. They completed ToM tests (Faux-Pas test and Advanced ToM task) and two questionnaires assessing HRQoL (36-Item Short-Form Health Survey and EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-BN20). Their relatives also completed an observer-rated version of the SF-36 questionnaire. RESULTS: Survivors performed worse than controls only on the Advanced ToM task. Overall, patients and caregivers reported more problems than healthy controls and their relatives regarding both global HRQoL and its social/emotional aspects. No relationship was found between ToM and HRQoL scores. CONCLUSION: Adult survivors of primary brain tumors may exhibit ToM deficits several years after treatment and report more problems on social/emotional HRQoL components. Our findings highlight the need to consider these late effects in survivors' long-term follow-up, even if the clinical involvement of ToM deficits still needs to be elucidated. The assessment of ToM deficits and their potential impact on survivors' everyday life is thoroughly discussed.

Evidence against implicit belief processing in a blindfold task.

Understanding what other people think is crucial to our everyday interactions. We seem to be affected by the perspective of others even in situations where it is irrelevant to us. This intrusion from others' perspectives has been referred to as altercentric bias and has been suggested to reflect implicit belief processing. There is an ongoing debate about how robust such altercentric effects are and whether they indeed reflect true mentalizing or result from simpler, domain-general processes. As a critical test for true mentalizing, the blindfold manipulation has been proposed. That is, participants are familiarized with a blindfold that is either transparent or opaque. When they then observe a person wearing this blindfold, they can only infer what this person can or cannot see based on their knowledge of the blindfold's transparency. Here, we used this blindfold manipulation to test whether participants' reaction times in detecting an object depended on the agent's belief about the object's location, itself manipulated with a blindfold. As a second task, we asked participants to detect where the agent was going to look for the object. Across two experiments with a large participant pool (N = 234) and different settings (online/lab), we found evidence against altercentric biases in participants' response times in detecting the object. We did, however, replicate a well-documented reality congruency effect. When asked to detect the agent's action, in turn, participants were biased by their own knowledge of where the object should be, in line with egocentric biases previously found in false belief reasoning. These findings suggests that altercentric biases do not reflect belief processing but lower-level processes, or alternatively, that implicit belief processing does not occur when the belief needs to be inferred from one's own experience.

Sociocognição e saúde mental: a 'leitura do outro' no cuidado em saúde / Cognición social y salud mental: la 'lectura de la mente' en la assistencia a salud / Social cognition and mental health: the mindreading in the healthcare work

RESUMO. Teoria da mente é a habilidade sociocognitiva de inferir pensamentos, sentimentos e intenções. É uma habilidade que sustenta as relações sociais e parece particularmente relevante para o exercício de certas atividades que estão ligadas à 'leitura do outro', como a prática de profissionais que exercem o cuidado em equipamentos de saúde, como ocorre nos Centros de Atenção Psicossocial. Este estudo teórico teve o objetivo de analisar a importância das habilidades sociocognitivas para o trabalho em saúde, especialmente na saúde mental, a fim de identificar e discutir possíveis fatores que podem ter impacto na inferência que os profissionais fazem a respeito do que os usuários do serviço estão pensando, sentindo ou querendo. A análise permitiu observar as formas pelas quais a teoria da mente pode se tornar importante ferramenta para o profissional no processo terapêutico. Além disso, foi possível identificar que, no formato em que tem funcionado atualmente, o trabalho em Centros de Atenção Psicossocial tem exposto o profissional a diversos estressores que parecem produzir efeitos em suas habilidades sociocognitivas, podendo prejudicar não apenas sua saúde como também o exercício do cuidado.

RESUMEN. Teoría de la mente es la capacidad sociocognitiva de inferir pensamientos, sentimientos e intenciones. Es una habilidad que apoya las relaciones sociales y parece particularmente relevante para el ejercicio de determinadas actividades que están vinculadas a 'leer al otro', como la práctica de los profesionales que brindan atención en equipos de salud, como ocurre en los Centros de Atención Psicosocial. Este estudio teórico tuvo como objetivo analizar la importancia de las habilidades socio-cognitivas para el trabajo en salud, especialmente en salud mental, buscando identificar y discutir posibles factores que pueden incidir en la inferencia que hacen los profesionales sobre lo que piensan, sienten o sienten los usuarios del servicio. El análisis permitió observar las formas en que la teoría de la mente puede convertirse en una herramienta importante para los profesionales en el proceso terapéutico. Además, se pudo identificar que, en el formato en el que se ha operado actualmente, el trabajo en Centros de Atención Psicosocial ha expuesto a los profesionales a diversos estresores que parecen afectar sus habilidades sociocognitivas, los cuales pueden perjudicar no solo su salud sino también el ejercicio del cuidado.

ABSTRACT. Theory of mind is a social cognition ability to infer thoughts, feelings and intentions. It is a skill that underpins social relationships and seems particularly relevant to the exercise of certain activities linked to mindreading, such as healthcare practice, for example, in Psychosocial Care Centers. This theoretical study aims to analyze the importance of social cognition skills for mental health practitioners, seeking to identify and discuss possible factors that impact how these professionals infer what service users are thinking, feeling or wanting. The analysis allowed us to observe how the theory of mind can become an important tool for professionals in the therapeutic process. In particular, the study concludes that work in Psychosocial Care Centers has exposed professionals to various stressors that seem to have an effect on their social cognition skills, which can harm not only their health but also their ability to attend to the needs of service users.

Prevenção do suicídio: esquecimento do ser e era da técnica / Suicide prevention: forgetfulness of being and technical era / Prevención del suicidio: olvido del ser y la era de la técnica

Martin Heidegger, em sua ontologia, destaca uma característica específica da atualidade que atravessa o comportamento humano, na filosofia, na ciência ou no senso comum: o esquecimento do ser. O filósofo diferencia a época atual das demais épocas históricas. O horizonte histórico contemporâneo se desvela por meio do desafio e da exploração, da tentativa de controle e domínio dos acontecimentos, ao modo da disponibilidade e em função da produtividade. O filósofo esclarece que todo esse desenraizamento do homem atual está atrelado ao esquecimento daquilo que é o mais essencial, qual seja, a existência. A questão que norteia este estudo é apurar, por meio das referências de Heidegger e dos estudos sobre suicídio, o quanto a interpretação da morte voluntária nos dias atuais está atravessada por tal esquecimento. Pretendemos investigar o quanto as ações de prevenção desenvolvidas pela suicidologia se encontram atravessadas por tal esquecimento do ser do homem e, dessa forma, acabam por estabelecer relações entre ser e ente em uma consequente redução ao ente como invariante e atemporal. O caminho para investigar a questão iniciará por abordar, em maiores detalhes, a analítica existencial, a questão da técnica e o movimento de esquecimento do ser apontados por Heidegger a fim de problematizar as perspectivas científicas atuais sobre o suicídio em sua prevenção para, então, estabelecer uma compreensão fenomenológica e existencial sobre o referido fenômeno.(AU)

Martin Heidegger, in his ontology, highlights a specific characteristic of the present moment that crosses human behavior, in philosophy, science, or common sense: the forgetfulness of being. The philosopher differentiates the current age from other historical ages. The contemporary historical horizon is unveiled by the challenge and the exploration, from the attempt to control and dominate events, to the mode of standing reserve and in terms of productivity. The philosopher clarifies that all this uprooting of the current man is linked to the forgetfulness of what is the most essential, namely, the existence itself. The question that guides this study is to investigate, via Heidegger's references and studies on suicide, to what extent the interpretation of voluntary death today is crossed by such forgetfulness. We intend to investigate to what extent the prevention actions developed by suicidology are crossed by such forgetfulness of the human's being and, in this way, they end up establishing relationships between being and entity in a consequent reduction to entity as an invariant and timeless. The path to investigate the issue will start by addressing, in greater detail, the existential analytics, the question concerning technique and the movement of forgetting the being pointed out by Heidegger to problematize the current scientific perspectives on suicide and its prevention to, then, propose a phenomenological and existential understanding about the referred phenomenon.(AU)

Martin Heidegger en su ontología destaca una característica específica del presente que atraviesa el comportamiento humano, ya sea en la filosofía, la ciencia o el sentido común: el olvido del ser. El filósofo diferencia la época actual de otras épocas históricas. El horizonte histórico contemporáneo se devela el desafío y la exploración, el intento de controlar y dominar los eventos, en la modalidad de disponibilidad y en términos de productividad. Y así aclara que todo este desarraigo del hombre actual está involucrado en el olvido de lo más esencial, que es la existencia misma. A partir de las referencias a Heidegger y de los estudios sobre el suicidio, este estudio busca saber hasta qué punto la interpretación de la muerte voluntaria hoy está atravesada por este olvido. Pretendemos investigar en qué medida las acciones de prevención desarrolladas por la suicidología se encuentran atravesadas por el olvido del ser del hombre y, de esta manera, terminan por establecer relaciones entre el ser y el ente, en una consecuente reducción al ente como invariante y atemporal. Para investigar el tema se abordará inicialmente, con mayor detalle, la analítica existencial, la cuestión de la técnica y el movimiento del olvido del ser señalado por Heidegger para problematizar las perspectivas científicas actuales sobre el suicidio y su prevención y, luego, proponer una comprensión fenomenológica y existencial sobre el referido fenómeno.(AU)

Notas para decolonizar os estudos transpessoais no brasil: contribuições do pluriperspectivismo participativo / Notes for decolonizing transpersonal studies in brazil: contributions of participatory pluriperspectivism / Apuntes para la decolonización de los estudios transpersonales en brasil: aportes del pluriperspectivismo participativo

O campo dos estudos transpessoais tem avançado em diversas áreas no Brasil. Comemorou seus 40 anos com uma inserção ativa nas Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) e uma ampliação de núcleos formativos e apoiadores de ensino, pesquisa e ações sociais, além de diálogos com o Sistema de Conselhos de Psicologia. Desafios são apresentados a partir do levantamento de uma série de questões importantes e ignoradas dentro da Psicologia Transpessoal no Brasil. Apresentamos o pluriperspectivismo participativo como possibilidade de decolonizar as matrizes eurocêntricas e estadunidenses, que dão suporte ao pensamento transpessoal brasileiro, buscando honrar nossas raízes históricas e incluir outras epistemologias e ontologias, que dão continuidade à crítica à lógica cartesiana moderna. Indicamos uma breve agenda de notas temáticas que carecem de um processo decolonizador no campo transpessoal: a) crítica às perspectivas de um pensamento hegemônico, em termos globais por meio da dominação Norte-Sul ou no campo das relações sociais; b) revisão das formas de "centrocentrismo"; c) questionamento da noção de universalismo das ciências e da ética; d) aprofundamento da análise crítica da supremacia restritiva da racionalidade formal técnico-científica em relação às formas de subjetividade, de vivências holísticas e integradoras e de valorização do corpo; e) revisão da noção de sujeito moderno desprovida da cocriação do humano com a comunidade, a história, a natureza e o cosmos.(AU)

The field of transpersonal studies has advanced in several areas in Brazil. It celebrated its 40th anniversary with an active insertion in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and an expansion of training centers and supporters of teaching, research, and social actions, in addition to dialogues with the System of Councils of Psychology. Challenges are presented based on a survey of a series of important and ignored issues within Transpersonal Psychology in Brazil. We present participatory pluriperspectivism as a possibility to decolonize the Eurocentric and North American matrices that support Brazilian transpersonal thought, seeking to honor our historical roots and include other epistemologies and ontologies, which continue the critique of modern Cartesian logic. We indicate a brief agenda of thematic notes that lack a decolonizing process in the transpersonal field: a) criticism of the perspectives of a hegemonic thought, whether in global terms via North-South domination or in the field of social relations; b) review of the forms of "centrocentrism"; c) questioning of the notion of universalism of science and ethics; d) deepening of the critical analysis of the restrictive supremacy of the technical-scientific formal rationality in relation to the forms of subjectivity, of holistic and integrative experiences, and of valuing the body; e) review of the notion of the modern subject devoid of the co-creation of the human with the community, the history, the nature, and the cosmos.(AU)

El campo de los estudios transpersonales ha avanzado en varias áreas de Brasil. Se celebró su 40.º aniversario con una inserción activa en Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) y una ampliación de los centros de formación y promotores de la docencia, la investigación y la acción social, además de diálogos con el Sistema de Consejos de Psicología. Los desafíos se presentan a partir de una encuesta de una serie de temas importantes e ignorados dentro de la Psicología Transpersonal en Brasil. Presentamos el pluriperspectivismo participativo como una posibilidad para decolonizar las matrices eurocéntrica y americana, que sustentan el pensamiento transpersonal brasileño, buscando honrar nuestras raíces históricas e incluir otras epistemologías y ontologías que continúan la crítica de la lógica cartesiana moderna. Indicamos una breve agenda de apuntes temáticos que carecen de un proceso decolonizador en el campo transpersonal: a) crítica de las perspectivas de un pensamiento hegemónico, ya sea en términos globales a través del dominio Norte-Sur o en el campo de las relaciones sociales; b) revisión de las formas de "centrocentrismo"; c) cuestionamiento de la noción de universalismo de la ciencia y la ética; d) profundización del análisis crítico de la supremacía restrictiva de la racionalidad formal técnico-científica en relación a las formas de subjetividad, de experiencias holísticas e integradoras y de valoración del cuerpo; e) revisión de la noción de sujeto moderno desprovisto de la cocreación de lo humano con la comunidad, la historia, la naturaleza y el cosmos.(AU)

A coisa em psicanálise e o objeto no lísis de Platão / The thing in psychoanalysis and object in Plato's lysis / La cosa en psicoanálisis y el objeto en lisis de Platón

Este artigo propõe o estudo sobre o conceito de outro como semelhante e como objeto. Partindo de textos que interpelam a alteridade na psicanálise e remetendo aos temas do complexo semelhante, da satisfação, da perda, do luto, da negativa, da repetição; avalia o conceito de outro articulando textos de diversos autores. A partir da psicanálise freudiana, estuda o das Ding e a negação, discriminando com estes termos um objeto estruturante na origem do psiquismo. Aborda textos técnicos da psicanálise para delimitar o tema da repetição. Também a recordação e a repetição são vinculadas ao objeto e estudadas na perspectiva da filosofia moderna. São retomados temas do diálogo platônicos para definir o lugar do erótico e da amizade. No fim do presente artigo, propomos o termo clássico grego Oikos com valor equivalente ao da Coisa freudiana e como esta aparece em escritos psicanalíticos.(AU)

This article studies the concept of other as similar and object. It is based on texts that question the alterity in psychoanalysis and refers to the themes of otherness complex, loss, grief, negative, repetition, and evaluates the concept of other, using articles of diverse authors. Based on Freudian psychoanalysis, it studies the Thing and the denial and discriminates a structuring object in the origin of psychism. It approaches technical texts of psychoanalysis to delimitate the theme of repetition. The recordation and repetition are also linked to the object and studied from the perspective of modern philosophy. Themes of the platonic dialogues are resumed to define the place of the erotic and the friendship. In the end of the article, we propose the greek classic term Oikos, with equal value to the Freudian Thing, as this one appears in psychoanalytic writings.(AU)

Este artículo estudia el concepto Otro como semejante y como objeto. A partir de textos que interpelan la alteridad en psicoanálisis y que se refieren a temas del complejo semejante, de la satisfacción, de la pérdida, del duelo, de la negación, de la repetición, se evalúa el concepto de Otro articulando textos de diferentes autores. Basado en el psicoanálisis freudiano, se aborda Ding y la negación, discriminando con estos términos un objeto estructurante en el origen de lo psíquico. Se abordan textos técnicos del psicoanálisis para delimitar el tema de la repetición; el recuerdo y la repetición son vinculadas al objeto y estudiadas desde la perspectiva de la filosofía moderna; y se retoman temas de los diálogos platónicos para definir el lugar de lo erótico y la amistad. Al culminar este artículo se propone leer el término griego clásico Oikos con un valor equivalente al de la Cosa freudiana como aparece en los escritos psicoanalíticos.(AU)

The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of female breast cancer is a global health concern. Breast cancer and its treatments have been associated with impairments in general cognition, as well as structural and functional brain changes. Considering the social challenges that some of these patients face, it is important to understand the socio-emotional effects of breast cancer as well. Nevertheless, the impact of breast cancer on social cognition has remained underexplored. The objective of this study was to assess social cognition domains and other relevant cognitive and emotional variables (executive functions, anxiety, or depression) in females with breast cancer. METHODS: The participants were 29 female patients diagnosed with breast cancer and 29 female healthy controls. We assessed emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, and moral emotions. We also included measures of general cognitive functioning, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Linear multiple regressions were performed to assess whether the group (patients or controls), GAD-7 scores, emotional and social subscales of EORTC QLQ-C30, and IFS scores predicted the social cognition variables (EET, RMET, MSAT). RESULTS: Patients with breast cancer showed impairments in emotion recognition and in affective theory of mind. In addition, patients had lower scores in some executive functions. Only theory of mind between group differences remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Emotion recognition was associated with executive functioning, but anxiety levels were not a significant predictor of the changes in social cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Social cognition impairments, especially in theory of mind, may be present in breast cancer, which can be relevant to understanding the social challenges that these patients encounter. This could indicate the need for therapeutic interventions to preserve social cognition skills in patients with breast cancer.

Teoría de la mente, ¿un error conceptual en neuropsicología? / Theory of mind, a conceptual error in neuropsychology?

La neuropsicología contemporánea reconoce la teoría de la mente como la capacidad que desarrollan los niños, entre los 4 y 5 años, de interpretar, predecir y explicar el comportamiento propio y de los otros en términos de sus estados mentales subyacentes, ligando su estudio a diversos tipos de trastornos con especial énfasis en los trastornos del espectro autista. El objetivo del artículo se centra en la reflexión sobre lo que debería considerar una teoría que pretenda indagar sobre la mente, abordando los conceptos de inferencias y representaciones, contrastando su contenido con la psicología de sentido común. Se analiza la pertinencia de dirigir la línea de estudio, considerando un cambio conceptual por uno más adecuado y que genere menos vacíos teóricos al momento de establecer su respaldo epistémico. Para tal efecto, la cognición social se presenta como posible candidato a reemplazar la tan polémica teoría de la mente. Desde este punto de vista, es importante enfatizar la importancia que tienen los conceptos a la hora de informar los resultados de las investigaciones, debido a que ellos pueden estigmatizar y/o caricaturizar a los grupos de personas con los que se trabaja, grupos que particularmente propenden a ser diferenciados por el colectivo social dadas las características basales por los que se eligen para formar parte de las investigaciones.

Contemporary neuropsychology recognizes the theory of mind as the capacity that children develop, between the ages of 4 and 5, to interpret, predict and explain their own behavior and that of others in terms of their underlying mental states, linking its study to various types of disorders with special emphasis on autism spectrum disorders. The objective of the article focuses on the reflection on what a theory that seeks to investigate the mind should consider, addressing the concepts of inferences and representations, contrasting its content with folk psychology. The relevance of directing the line of study is analyzed considering a conceptual change for a more appropriate one that generates fewer theoretical gaps at the time of establishing its epistemic support, for this purpose, social cognition is presented as a possible candidate to replace the highly controversial theory of the mind. From this point of view, it is important to emphasize the importance of concepts when informing the results of research, since they can stigmatize and / or caricature the groups of people with whom they work, groups that particularly they tend to be differentiated by the social group given the baseline characteristics by which they are chosen to be part of the research.

Revisão de escopo sobre teoria da mente e bullying: uma atualização crítica / Scoping review on theory of mind and bullying: a critical update / Revisión del alcance sobre teoría de la mente y bullying: una actualización crítica

O presente estudo teve por objetivo realizar uma revisão de escopo sobre pesquisas que investigam a re-lação entre a Teoria da Mente (ToM) e o bullying escolar em sete bases de dados nas áreas da saúde/psico-logia (PubMed, PsycInfo e Lilacs), da educação (Eric) e interdisciplinares (SciELO, Web of Science e Scopus). Dos 270 arquivos identificados inicialmente, 14 foram elegíveis para a revisão e analisados a respeito dos seus principais resultados, das medidas em ToM utilizadas e das variáveis relacionadas à classificação de bullying. Verificou-se que a maioria dos estudos reportou uma relação direta (relações que tendem a ser estatisticamente significativas) e/ou indireta (mediada por outras variáveis) entre papéis dos envolvidos e tipos de bullying e o desempenho em tarefas de ToM. Contudo, uma discussão crítica em relação às medi-das de avaliação em ToM foi realizada e apontou a necessidade de esclarecimento no tipo de avaliação e de atualização das tarefas.

The present study aimed to conduct a scoping review on researches which investigated the relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM) and school bullying in seven databases in the areas of health/psychology (PubMed, PsycInfo, and Lilacs), education (Eric), and interdisciplinary (SciELO, Web of Science, and Scopus). Of the 270 results initially identified, 14 were eligible for review and analyzed regarding their main results, the measures in ToM used, and variables related to the classification of bullying. It was found that most studies reported a direct (relationships that tend to be statistically significant) and/or indirect (mediated by other variables) relationship between the roles of the students involved and types of bullying and the performance in tasks of ToM. However, a critical discussion regarding the assessment measures in ToM was carried out pointing to the need for clarification in the type of assessment and updating of tasks.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo llevar a cabo una revisión del alcance de estudios que investigan la relación entre Teoría de la Mente (ToM) y el bullying en siete bases de datos de las áreas de salud/psicología (PubMed, PsycInfo y Lilacs), educación (Eric) e interdisciplinares (SciELO, Web of Science y Scopus). De los 270 estudios identificados inicialmente, 14 fueron revisados y analizados con respecto a sus principales resultados, a las medidas utilizadas en ToM y a las variables relacionadas con la clasificación del bullying. Se encontró que la mayoría de los estudios reportaron una relación directa (relaciones que tienden a ser estadísticamente significativas) y/o indirecta (mediada por otras variables) entre los roles de los involu-crados y los tipos de bullying y el desempeño en las tareas de ToM. Sin embargo, se realizó un debate crítico sobre las medidas de evaluación en ToM, señalando la necesidad de aclaración en el tipo de evaluación y actualización de las tareas.

Cognitive and affective theory of mind double dissociation after parietal and temporal lobe tumours.

Extensive neuroimaging literature suggests that understanding others' thoughts and emotions engages a wide network encompassing parietal, temporal and medial frontal brain areas. However, the causal role played by these regions in social inferential abilities is still unclear. Moreover very little is known about theory of mind deficits in brain tumours and whether potential anatomical substrates are comparable to those identified in functional MRI literature. This study evaluated the performance of 105 tumour patients, before and immediately after brain surgery, on a cartoon-based non-verbal task evaluating cognitive (intention attribution) and affective (emotion attribution) theory of mind, as well as a non-social control condition (causal inference). Across multiple analyses, we found converging evidence of a double dissociation between patients with right superior parietal damage, selectively impaired in intention attribution, and those with right anteromedial temporal lesion, exhibiting deficits only in emotion attribution. Instead, patients with damage to the frontal cortex were impaired in all kinds of inferential processes, including those from the non-social control conditions. Overall, our data provide novel reliable causal evidence of segregation between different aspects of the theory of mind network from both the cognitive and also the anatomical point of view.

Theory of mind deficit in women with breast cancer and depression: A comparative study.

Background: Studies have established that Theory of Mind (ToM) is impaired in patients with depression, but few studies have investigated the status of ToM in breast cancer patients who often suffer from depression. Our objective was to compare the ToM deficits in women with breast cancer with and without depression with a control group. Methods: The study was conducted at the Oncology department of a multi-speciality hospital in Kolkata. It was a cross sectional matched control study. We compared the ToM performance of women with breast cancer and depression (N=39), breast cancer without depression (N=63) and a healthy control group (N=34) using the widely used ToM task, Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (Eyes Test). Depression was diagnosed using Mini - International Neuropsychiatric Interview following International Classification of Diseases - 10th edition guidelines. Chi-square and one-way analysis of variances was done. Results: Both groups of patients had greater impairment in ToM compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). Among breast cancer patients, presence of depression predicted even greater impairment of ToM (p<0.05). Lower income, less education and not being in any occupation other than homemaking were associated with greater ToM impairment across all groups (p <0.05). Conclusion: Breast cancer patients suffering from depression may have an additional burden of impaired social cognition, which may reduce their ability to shore up social support when it is most required. This needs to be addressed urgently to ensure better quality of life.

Habilidades de cognición social en un grupo de adolescentes de bajos recursos socioeconómicos de Medellín, Colombia / Social cognition skills in a group of adolescents of low socioeconomic resources in Medellin, Colombia

En este estudio se realizó un análisis comparativo, de acuerdo con el estrato socioeconómico, de tres habilidades de cognición social (teoría de la mente, empatía y reconocimiento de emociones) en un grupo de adolescentes de Medellín. Metodología: se realizó una investigación cuantitativa comparativa transversal con una muestra de 130 adolescentes de ambos sexos a quienes se les administraron las pruebas Sistema Internacional de Imágenes Afectivas, el Test de la Mirada y el Índice de Reactividad Inter-personal. Resultados: los resultados de los análisis comprobaron la hipótesis, en algunas de las variables, de que los niveles socioeconómicos más bajos tienen niveles más bajos de habilidades de cognición social, especialmente en la teoría de la mente y la empatía, pero no en la evaluación emocional de las expresiones faciales. Discusión: la adolescencia es un periodo crítico del neurodesarrollo. Neurobiológicamente, duran-te este periodo ocurren cambios significativos en el denominado cerebro social. Conclusión: no todas las habilidades socio-cognitivas tienen la misma sensibilidad a los efectos ambientales durante su desarrollo

In this study a comparative analysis was made according to the socioeconomic stratum of three social cognition skills (theory of mind, empathy and emotion recognition) in a group of adolescents from Medellín. Methodology: a transversal comparative quantitative research was carried out with a sample of 130 adolescents of both sexes to whom the International System of Affective Images, the Gaze Test and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index were administered. Results: The results of the analyses proved the hypothesis, in some of the variables, that the lower socioeconomic levels have lower levels of social cognition skills, especially in the theory of mind and empathy, but not in the emotional evaluation of facial expressions. Discussion: Adolescence is a critical period of neurodevelopment. Neurobiologically, during this period significant changes occur in the so-called social brain. Conclusion: not all socio-cognitive skills have the same sensitivity to environmental effects during their development

Las representaciones sociales y la lógica de la explicación / Social representations and the logic of explanation

El artículo aporta respuestas a la pregunta ¿Cuál es la potencia explicativa de la teoría de las RS? Se enumeran diversas aplicaciones de las RS como constructos de significación colectiva del sentido común de las personas. Se apela a las problemáticas clásicas abordadas y los distintos campos disciplinares que abarcan. La potencia explicativa de las RS se analiza en términos de las diferentes lógicas de la explicación que implican las escuelas psicológicas y sociales que se compatibilizan con las RS. Se analiza el método comparativo como lógica explicativa y técnica que potencia las explicaciones para fenómenos que asocian RS y diversas teorías. La posmodernidad presenta innumerables desafíos a las ciencias humanas. Las RS pueden contribuir para varios de ellos demostrando ser una técnica poderosa. La actualidad de las RS consiste en develar los sentidos implicados en el sentido común contribuyendo a la comprensión del mundo actual y su gobernanza AU

The article provides answers to the question: What is the explanatory power of the SR theory? Various applications of SR are listed as constructs of collective meaning of people's common sense. It appeals to the classic problems addressed and the different disciplinary fields they cover.The explanatory power of the SR is analyzed in terms of the different logics of the explanation implied by the psychological and social schools that are compatible with the SR.The comparative method is analyzed as an explanatory and technical logic that enhances explanations for phenomena that associate SR and various theories.Postmodernity presents myriad challenges to the human sciences. RS can contribute to several of them proving to be a powerful technique. SR today consists of unveiling the meanings involved in common sense, contributing to the understanding of the current world and its governance AU

Emotion recognition and theory of mind after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: A systematic review.

In order to navigate in our complex social world successfully, it is crucial to maintain and practice cognitive skills that are dedicated to adaptive social functioning. Emerging evidence suggests that besides deficits in declarative memory, executive functions, and language, impairments in social cognition (SC, e.g., emotion recognition, theory of mind) are also present in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The organic and psycho-social consequences of epilepsy surgery might have additional implications regarding this deficit. Here we qualitatively synthesize longitudinal and cross-sectional findings on SC after TLE surgery. A literature search using PubMed and Scopus identified 275 potential articles. Studies were eligible if they (1) included patients with a diagnosis of TLE, (2) included a healthy comparison group, (3) reported original research, (4) were published in peer-reviewed journals and in English language, (5) reported the intervention of epilepsy surgery. Articles that (1) were case studies, (2) did not focus on SC abilities, (3) used interviews or self-report questionnaires to examine SC functions were excluded. A total of 16 original studies assessing emotion recognition (ER) and/or theory of mind (ToM) matched our criteria. The literature suggests that neither ER nor ToM abilities change after surgery: post-surgery patients show similar impairment patterns to pre-surgery patients. Nevertheless, individual improvement or decline could be masked by group comparisons and results should be considered in light of methodological heterogeneity among studies.

Age, BMI, and inflammation: Associations with emotion recognition.

Experimental studies show that inflammation impairs the ability to interpret the mental state of another person, denoted theory of mind (ToM). The current study attempted a conceptual replication in states associated with elevated low-grade inflammation, i.e., high body weight and advanced age. Ninety young (M = 26.3 years, SD = 4.1) or older (M = 70.7 years, SD = 4.0) participants with either a normal body mass index (BMI) (M = 22.4, SD = 2.2) or high BMI (M = 33.1, SD = 3.8) completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) to assess emotion recognition. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) level was measured to index low-grade inflammation. As anticipated, elevated IL-6 levels were found with higher BMI, although not with increased age. IL-6 was associated with poorer task performance, independent of potential demographic and health confounders (e.g., sex, education, smoking status, alcohol intake, presence of medical conditions, and medication intake). Analyses also revealed an interaction whereby young individuals with a high BMI showed worse RMET performance compared to their normal BMI counterparts, whereas the opposite pattern was found in older individuals. The present observational study replicated experimental results showing that elevated low-grade inflammation is correlated with a lower ability to infer the mental states of others. These findings suggest that also naturalistic conditions of (protracted) low-grade inflammation may alter emotion recognition.

Emotion perception and theory of mind in obesity: a systematic review on the impact of social cognitive deficits on dysfunctional eating behaviors.

The aim of this paper was to summarize our current understanding of emotion perception and Theory of Mind (ToM) in obesity and how they relate to dysfunctional eating behaviors (DEB), frequently found in candidates for bariatric surgery. The literature was searched using the electronic databases PsychInfo, Medline, and Web of Science databases, and by additional hand searches through reference lists and specialist eating disorders journals. Relevant studies were included if they were written in English, included participants suffering from obesity and evaluation with tasks assessing social cognition, such as emotion recognition and perception, as well as ToM. Twelve studies analyzed for this systematic review suggest that deficits in such social cognitive domains may lie behind many emotional and social difficulties present in people with obesity, be they bariatric or not, which usually favor DEB. Our review suggests that people with obesity of all ages score significantly less than controls on instruments assessing emotion recognition and ToM, justifying a possible relationship between social cognitive impairments and dysfunctional eating behaviors, such as binges, emotional eating, and addition to food, frequently seen in people with obesity. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the social cognitive foundations of eating behavior in individuals with obesity. They can help not only the presurgical behavioral assessment, but also guide postoperative follow-up of this population.

Language as a window into mind perception: How mental state language differentiates body and mind, human and nonhuman, and the self from others.

Mind perception-the attribution of mental states to humans and nonhuman entities-is an essential element of social cognition (distinct from related constructs such as perspective-taking and attribution). Despite its importance, research often captures this construct in hypothetical and atypical situations. We therefore used a novel text analysis tool-the Mind Perception Dictionary (MPD)-to measure linguistic use of mind perception (words related to "agency" and "experience") in naturalistic settings (externally valid contexts in the world unprompted by experimental demand) and test basic theoretical claims across 15 total studies (N = 7713). Initial validation studies show that the MPD reliably captures language referring to mental states when people focus more versus less on a stimulus's mental capacities. Studies 2A-5B illustrate that people use the concept of mind to distinguish friends from acquaintances (Studies 2A and 2B), human from nonhuman entities (technology in Studies 3A and 3B; nonhuman animals in Studies 4A and 4B), and the self from others (Studies 5A and 5B). Studies 6A-6C use the MPD to show meaningful differences in mind perception in naturalistic contexts (externally valid contexts in the world unprompted by experimental demand) and to reveal downstream consequences of mental state language. Together these studies show that mind perception is a generalizable psychological phenomenon that emerges in natural contexts and that systematically varies across stimuli perceived to be more or less human. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Antropogénesis de la intersubjetividad / Anthropogenesis of intersubjectivity

Este trabajo analiza el doble vínculo entre antropogénesis e intersubjetividad desde un punto de vista antropológico, psicológico y cognitivo. Primero, se examina la significación psicológica y cognitiva de la muerte a partir de la discusión de la evidencia paleoantropológica de los primeros enterramientos del hombre de neandertal. Asimismo, se precisa su importancia en el origen del pensamiento simbólico y la constitución de la intersubjetividad. Segundo, se analiza y fundamenta el concepto de representación intersubjetiva como constructo metapsicológico que define la constitución de la subjetividad. Se profundiza en el carácter psico-cognitivo y bio-cultural de las representaciones intersubjetivas en el proceso de la antropogénesis. Tercero, se analizan los desarrollos de la teoría de las neuronas espejo y la teoría de la mente, las cuales brindan el fundamento neurocientífico y psicosocial de las representaciones intersubjetivas. Se concluye con la formulación de interrogantes para un programa de investigación interdisciplinario en antropogénesis de la intersubjetividad(AU)

This work analyzes the double bind between anthropogenesis and intersubjectivity from an anthropological, psychological, and cognitive point of view. First, we examine the psychological and cognitive significance of death from the discussion of the paleoanthropological evidence of the first Neanderthal burials. Likewise, we describe its importance in the origin of symbolic thought and the constitution of intersubjectivity. Second, we analyze the concept of intersubjective representation as a metapsychological construct that defines the constitution of subjectivity. We explore the psycho-cognitive and bio-cultural character of intersubjective representations in the process of anthropogenesis. Third, we discuss the contribution of mirror neuron theory and theory of mind, which provide the neuroscientific and psychosocial foundations for intersubjective representations. We conclude with a guideline for an interdisciplinary research program on the anthropogenesis of intersubjectivity(AU)

Investigation of the relationship between the theory of mind and creative thinking skills of children in rural area / Investigação da relação entre a teoria da mente e as habilidades de pensamento criativo de crianças na área rural

The aim of this study, accordingly, is to determine the relation between creativity and theory of mind skills of children aged 5-11 (Ns:117) who continue Primary Education in rural areas and to reveal the relation between the sub-dimensions of these abilities. At the end of the study, it was found that there was a significant and positive relation between the total creativity score and the sub-dimensions of theory of mind. It was found that there was a significant and positive relation between all sub-dimensions of creativity and theory of mind. The total creativity score and the scores of the sub-dimensions of creativity (fluency, originality, and elaboration) were significant but weak predictors of theory of mind tasks.

O objetivo deste estudo é determinar a relação entre criatividade e a teoria das habilidades mentais em crianças de 5 a 11 anos (Ns: 117) que continuam cursando o ensino fundamental em áreas rurais e revelar a relação entre as subdimensões dessas habilidades. No final do estudo, verificou-se que havia uma relação significativa e positiva entre o escore total de criatividade e as subdimensões da teoria da mente dessas crianças. Verificou-se também que havia uma relação significativa e positiva entre todas as subdimensões da criatividade e da teoria da mente. O escore total de criatividade e os escores das subdimensões da criatividade (fluência, originalidade e enriquecimento) foram preditores significativos, porém fracos, das tarefas da teoria da mente.