The Role of Language in Early Theory of Mind Development

语言在心理理论发展中的作用是在一个纵向和培训相结合的研究。在第1阶段招募了N=150名儿童，并在24和27个月时进行了测试，而33和36个月时的测试正在进行中。从这个样本中，两组N=40名儿童，每组接受14个年龄在33和36个月之间的微遗传训练课程的训练，其中包括心理状态语言输入或补充句法输入。在第2阶段，另外一个由N=40名儿童组成的主动对照组将接受非特异性（解谜）训练。在第2阶段，将在52月龄时评估内隐和外显心理理论能力、动作理解、语言（心理状态语言、句法技能、叙述）、执行功能和智商作为结局指标。本研究首次考察了心理状态、语言和句法技能对内隐和外显心理理论发展的影响。由于生命的第三年是一个过渡时期之间的内隐和显式的心理理论，重要的见解语言的功能，在早期和后期的心理理论的发展。特别是，该研究有望有助于更好地了解内隐和外显心理理论与语言之间的横向和纵向关系，在广泛的年龄范围。

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.