Dissociation between decoding and reasoning about mental states in patients with theory of mind reasoning impairments.
Theory of mind (ToM) reasoning may involve a multiplicity of processes, including an initial stage, where cues relevant for social processes are detected and decoded, and a mentalizing stage, where the decoded information is used to reason about mental states. Here we report that the processing of lower-order facial cues relevant to social judgments can be relatively spared in patients with impaired ToM reasoning. We discuss the implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying social judgments in brain-lesioned patients.
Njomboro
Progress
P
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK. P.Njomboro@gmail.com
Deb
Shoumitro
S
Humphreys
Glyn W
GW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012938:Social Perception