The Role of Language in Early Theory of Mind Development

通过纵向和训练相结合的研究，探讨了语言在心理理论发展中的作用。在第一阶段，共招募了150名24和27个月大的儿童进行测试，33和36个月大的儿童正在进行测试。从这个样本中，两组N=40的儿童在33到36个月之间接受14次微遗传训练，包括精神状态语言输入或补语语法输入。在第二阶段，另一个由N=40名儿童组成的积极对照组将接受非特定（解谜）训练。内隐和外显心理理论能力、动作理解、语言（精神状态语言、句法技能、叙述）、执行功能和智商将在第2阶段的52个月时作为结果测量进行评估。这项研究首次考察了心理状态、语言和句法技能对三岁以下儿童内隐和外显心理理论发展的影响。由于生命的第三年是内隐心理理论和外显心理理论之间的过渡时期，因此对早期和后期心理理论发展中语言的功能有重要的见解。特别是，该研究有望有助于更好地理解内隐心理理论和外显心理理论与语言在广泛年龄范围内的横向和纵向关系。

The role of language in Theory of Mind development is investigated in a combined longitudinal and training study. N=150 children have been recruited and tested at 24 and 27 months of age in Phase 1, while testing at 33 and 36 months is ongoing. From this sample, two groups of N=40 children each are being trained in 14 microgenetic training sessions between the ages of 33 and 36 months with mental state language input or complement syntax input. In phase 2, an additional active control group of N=40 children will receive an unspecific (puzzle solving) training. Implicit and explicit Theory of Mind abilities, action understanding, language (mental state language, syntactic skills, narratives), executive functions and IQ will be assessed as outcome measures at the age of 52 months during Phase 2. The study is the first to examine the effects of mental state language and syntactic skills on implicit and explicit Theory of Mind development below the age of 3 years. As the third year of life is a transitional period between an implicit and an explicit Theory of Mind, important insights into the functions of language in early and later Theory of Mind development are expected. In particular, the study is expected to contribute to a better understanding of the cross- sectional and longitudinal relations between implicit and explicit Theory of Mind and language over a wide age range.