title: Theory of Mind and social relationships in older adults: the role of social motivation.
abstract: Previous research has shown that individual differences in Theory of Mind (ToM) are crucial for people's social relationships. However, very few studies have investigated this issue in ageing. The present study was designed to fill this gap and examine the associations between ToM and social relationships in elderly adults. In doing so, this study considered people's relationships with their relatives and friends, and examined the possible moderating role of social motivation.
  
  
  
  The study involved 53 healthy older adults (age: M = 67.91; SD = 6.93; range: 60--85 years). All participants were tested collectively during a 2-hr session and completed a demographic questionnaire as well as a battery of tests assessing verbal ability (vocabulary and word fluency), ToM and social relationships. They also answered a social motivation question.
  
  
  
  Results showed that individual differences in older people's ToM were overall significantly associated with those in relationships with friends, but not relatives. In addition, the Hayes moderating procedure showed that individual differences in ToM were related to those in friendships only for those people who had a high or medium level of social motivation.
  
  
  
  These findings underline the importance of motivation in guiding the use of ToM in everyday social interactions.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecce
authors.affiliation: a Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ceccato
authors.affiliation: a Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: a Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosi
authors.affiliation: b National Neurological Institute C. Mondino , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bottiroli
authors.affiliation: a Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D066107:Social Skills; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: Theory of Mind; ageing; social motivation; social relationships