Abstract
The term generally refers to the mental operations that underlie social interactions including the perception and interpretation of the intentions, dispositions, and behaviors of others and the generation of a response to these behaviors. Social cognition has been considered a valuable and promising field that strives to understand the nature and outcome of major mental disorders. This article discusses the concept of social cognition and its relationship to Theory of Mind (ToM). Theory of Mind in autistic spectrum disorders has been studied since the 1980s, and cognitive impairments in these disorders may be restricted to ToM deficits because other cognitive domains and nonsocial intelligence are preserved. This article addresses the issues of human ontogeny, reviews the main findings from research on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and summarizes the tools commonly used in the assessment of these illnesses.
Highlights
The term “social cognition” has various meanings, but it generally refers to the mental operations that underlie social interactions including the perception and interpretation of the intentions, dispositions, and behaviors of others, and the generation of a response to these behaviors (Green et al, 2008)
Because social cognition and Theory of Mind (ToM) belong to a special cognitive domain that directly reflects the interactions within a social environment, affecting quality of life, we can hypothesize that these functions are compromised in the case of mental illnesses characterized by cognitive impairments or disabilities (Couture, 2011)
We present a narrative review that focuses on social cognition and its relationship to ToM, clarifying the ambiguity in the concepts in the literature
Summary
Among the confusion in the literature about the various terms associated with social cognitive theory, the Theory of Mind (ToM) is one of the most discussed. It refers to the ability to infer mental states (e.g., beliefs, desires, intentions, imagination, emotions) that cause actions. An individual with a ToM is able to reflect on the content of his/her own and others’ minds (Baron-Cohen, 2001). Because social cognition and ToM belong to a special cognitive domain that directly reflects the interactions within a social environment, affecting quality of life, we can hypothesize that these functions are compromised in the case of mental illnesses characterized by cognitive impairments or disabilities (e.g., schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) (Couture, 2011). The study of cognition in major psychiatric disorders is an important research topic, but there is a paucity of available literature that meticulously addresses these issues
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
