Deafness as a window into theory of mind in middle childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Research on deaf children has represented a unique testing ground for theories about theory of mind (ToM) development for children generally. Studies of deaf children growing up with deaf versus hearing parents have been particularly illuminating. They supply data of crucial significance for understanding how social, cultural, and interpersonal experiences (e.g., conversation) interconnect with biological givens (e.g., hearing loss) to shape both the nature of ToM and its developmental possibilities, influences, and timing. Natively signing deaf children with deaf parent(s) grow up from birth sharing conversations fluently with family members just as hearing children do, though in sign language rather than speech. But for deaf children with hearing, non-signing parents, the early conversation environment is different and more challenging. This chapter reviews ToM studies comparing these deaf groups along with studies of the impact on ToM of other contrasts within deaf groups and between them and hearing children, including whether deaf children (1) become signers or oral-only communicators, (2) use or do not use cochlear implants, and (3) are in bilingual (sign and speech) or mainstream oral schools. The chapter concludes with an examination of new evidence from a recent longitudinal study that optimistically highlights deaf children’s widespread potential for ToM gains, while also raising provocative questions for future research about issues like critical periods, individual differences, sequences of ToM milestones, and comparative longitudinal ToM trajectories for deaf and hearing children throughout the formative years of middle childhood.