Structural and Functional Neural Mechanisms of Theory of Mind Development

作为大学计算机科学和神经科学双专业的学生，我对认知神经科学研究背后的计算方法和神经科学理论都有了基本的了解。我的兴趣，在计算和发展认知神经科学的交汇处，很好地与这个探索心智理论（ToM）推理发展的学生项目的目标一致。通过我的博士学位，我很高兴能够在分析神经影像学和行为数据方面获得的基础经验的基础上，进一步揭示儿童社会学习的神经机制。由于ToM推理是社会认知研究的核心，我最感兴趣的是研究ToM推理发展背后的神经机制。考虑到孩子们学习ToM的有趣的文本，推理对我来说尤其令人兴奋，因为它对学校准备[1]，心理健康[1]和社会成功[3]的影响。我渴望描述ToM大脑区域激活模式的变化，这些变化与儿童推理他人精神状态的能力相对应，因为这些变化还没有得到很好的理解，也因为我乐观地认为，我已经掌握了相关的技能，可以在推动这一特定的探究方向上发挥作用。这个学生项目与博士。希拉里·理查森和马克·巴斯汀将允许我解决我们目前对ToM推理发展的理解差距。我完成的研究将利用功能性神经成像数据来研究ToM推理发展的神经机制，以表征儿童学习ToM推理时大脑中发生的变化。在这个特殊的项目中，我可以利用我在神经成像方法方面的经验，对社会学习的兴趣，以及对计算建模的掌握来推进这个项目。我过去的研究经验也使我对自己成功学习任何新的、复杂的分析方法的能力充满信心，这对完成这项工作至关重要。在顺利完成学业后，我期待着更深入地研究ToM推理的典型和非典型发展轨迹，为帮助儿童克服入学准备、心理健康和社会成功方面的困难奠定干预基础。我很高兴能够发展自己的研究项目，利用我在博士期间培养的方法和知识，进一步表征与社会学习相关的神经发育。理查森和巴斯丁。这条重要的研究路线对于进一步加深我们对儿童如何发展其社会推理能力的集体理解至关重要。

As a computer science and neuroscience dual major in university, I obtained a foundational understanding of both the computational methods and neuroscientific theory behind cognitive neuroscience research. My interests, at the junction of computational and developmental cognitive neuroscience, are well aligned to the aims of this studentship project exploring the development of theory of mind (ToM) reasoning.Through my PhD, I am excited to build upon the foundational experiences I have gained in analyzing both neuroimaging and behavioral data to further uncover the neural mechanisms underlying children's social learning. Since ToM reasoning lies at the heart of social cognition research, I am most interested in studying the neural mechanisms underlying the development of ToM reasoning. Considering the diversecontexts in which children learn ToM reasoning is especially exciting to me, given the implications for school readiness [1], mental health [2], and social success [3]. I am eager to characterize the changes in patterns of activation in ToM brain regions that correspond to the onset of children's abilities to reason about others' mental states, both because these changes are not well understood and because I am optimistic that I have acquired the relevant skills to be useful in driving this specific line of inquiry forward.This studentship project with Drs. Hilary Richardson and Mark Bastin will allow me to address the gaps in our current understanding of the development of ToM reasoning. The research I complete will investigatethe neural mechanisms of the development of ToM reasoning using functional neuroimaging data to characterize the changes that occur in the brain as children learn ToM reasoning. On this particular project, I can take advantage of my experience with neuroimaging methods, interest in social learning,and command over computational modeling to push this project forward. My past research experienceshave also made me confident in my ability to successfully learn any new, complex analysis methods that will be essential for completing this work.After the successful completion of this studentship, I look forward to delving deeper into characterizing typical and atypical development trajectories of ToM reasoning, to lay the foundation for interventions that assist children in overcoming difficulties with school readiness, mental health, and social success. I am excited to develop my own research program further characterizing neural development associated with social learning using the methods and knowledge that I cultivate during my PhD with Drs. Richardson and Bastin. This important line of research is essential in furthering our collective understanding of how children develop their social reasoning abilities.