title: Action mechanisms for social cognition: behavioral and neural correlates of developing Theory of Mind.
abstract: Many psychological theories posit foundational links between two fundamental constructs: (1) our ability to produce, perceive, and represent action; and (2) our ability to understand the meaning and motivation behind the action (i.e. Theory of Mind; ToM). This position is contentious, however, and long-standing competing theories of social-cognitive development debate roles for basic action-processing in ToM. Developmental research is key to investigating these hypotheses, but whether individual differences in neural and behavioral measures of motor action relate to social-cognitive development is unknown. We examined 3- to 5-year-old children's (N = 26) EEG mu-desynchronization during production of object-directed action, and explored associations between mu-desynchronization and children's behavioral motor skills, behavioral action-representation abilities, and behavioral ToM. For children with high (but not low) mu-desynchronization, motor skill related to action-representation abilities, and action-representation mediated relations between motor skill and ToM. Results demonstrate novel foundational links between action-processing and ToM, suggesting that basic motor action may be a key mechanism for social-cognitive development, thus shedding light on the origins and emergence of higher social cognition.
authors: Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, USA.
authors: Lindsay C
authors: LC
authors: Bowman
authors: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, USA.
authors: Samuel G
authors: SG
authors: Thorpe
authors: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, USA.
authors: Erin N
authors: EN
authors: Cannon
authors: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, USA.
authors: Nathan A
authors: NA
authors: Fox
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001931:Brain Mapping; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012919:Social Behavior; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior