Social Cognitive Development Research Articles

The effects of ostracism on preschoolers’ over-imitation behaviors

Overimitation represents an early developing behavior implicated in the emergence of learning, affective, and social competences. Adult overimitation is heavily affected by contextual variables such as social ostracism, the experience of being ignored by others in a social context, an experience that threatens several psychological needs, inducing the urge to reaffiliate with a social group to restore the original state of well-being. Yet, the impact of social ostracism on overimitation in children remains unclear. This study explored how a face-to-face triadic inclusive/ostracizing ball-tossing game affects overimitation in predominantly White 3-year-old children (n = 43, 53.4% boys) and 5-year-old children (n = 43, 41.8% boys). Results showed that preschoolers are highly affected by social ostracism experiences, with both age groups displaying decreased positive emotionality and heightened negative emotionality when ostracized. Despite this continuity in the affective and behavioral reactions toward social exclusion, imitation fidelity is differently affected by first-person ostracism; the 3-year-olds imitated more when ostracized, whereas the 5-year-olds did so when included, signaling a developmental difference between the strategy repertoire at different ages. Overall, the current findings shed light on the social influences driving preschoolers’ overimitation behaviors, emphasizing the importance of investigating social mechanisms underlying imitation and young children’s social cognition development.

Enriching Social Cognitive and Behavioral intention by Mobilizing Robotics Tutor-based GenAI in Education 6.0

The study aims to investigate the impact of incorporating robotics-based GenAI into pedagogical approaches, in order to enrich social cognitive development in the higher education context. By examining the impact of robotics-based Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) on social cognition and learning outcomes, this study investigates the application of GenAI in Indonesian higher education, specifically in sociology programs. In poor countries like Indonesia, where pedagogical and infrastructural constraints prevent its widespread adoption, the report highlights the gap in the application of GenAI in the education system. Over the course of four weeks, 27 sociology students used ChatGPT as a robot tutor for undergraduate students to access information, and the study used a mixed-methods approach to collect data through observation and structured questionnaires. Despite the students' perception of GenAI as a valuable tool for enhancing engagement, problem-solving, and comprehension of intricate sociology topics, the findings revealed no correlation between the use of ChatGPT and students' social cognition. Furthermore, it appears that classroom dynamics and teacher engagement are more important factors influencing undergraduates’ social cognitive development. Future recommendations to fully incorporate GenAI into education and investigate its long-term benefits include strengthening infrastructure, addressing ethical issues, and improving teacher training.

The Impact of Cues on Joint Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Eye-Tracking Study in Virtual Games.

Joint attention (JA), a core deficit in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is crucial for social interaction, emotional understanding, and cognitive development. This study aims to compare and analyze the eye-tracking data of ASD and typically developing children (TDC) during virtual games, exploring how different cue types affect JA performance in ASD children. A total of 31 TDC and 40 ASD children participated in the study. Using eye-tracking devices, we recorded the children's eye movements as they played virtual games, selecting the correct target based on cues provided by virtual characters. Our findings revealed that different cue types significantly impacted the game scores of ASD children but had no significant effect on TDC, highlighting a notable disparity between the two groups. ASD children showed a lower fixation frequency, irregular fixation paths, and increased attention to non-target objects compared to TDC. Interestingly, among the three cue types, ASD children exhibited a preference for the third type, leading to longer fixation on the region of interest and higher game scores. These results underscore the importance of cue selection in enhancing JA in ASD children. This study provides novel insights into the JA deficits in ASD children and offers a scientific basis for the development of targeted and individualized intervention programs.

Virtual Reality as a support in psychotherapies for children with autism and/or social anxiety: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Purpose The growth of Virtual Reality (VR) applications for therapies has increased and diversified over time. Through VR, patients are encouraged to immerse themselves in virtual environments to interact and socialize. In this article we analyze the therapies that apply VR, as a strategy that addresses health needs, to improve the patient’s quality of life in mental disorders such as anxiety and autism spectrum. Furthermore, we compare the similarities and differences of the therapies, evaluating the efficacy of VR. Finally, we present a review of VR from a technological point of view. Methods The literature search was guided by PRISMA guidelines; study eligibility criteria: year of publication from 2014 to 2022, full-length and open access articles. Articles to improve social skills in children and adolescents with autism, as well as in addressing social anxiety in youth. Exclusion criteria: systematic reviews, meta-analyses, comorbidity, postoperative, and other disorders. Results We considered 14 eligible studies, with a low risk of bias. 78% of VR therapies were implemented immersively and 85% interactively, involving active user participation in virtual environments through voice, gaze, and body movements. VR therapies for children with ASD focus on the development of social skills, with facial expression recognition, emotion recognition, social cognitive development, and verbal and non-verbal communication. VR therapies for social anxiety are effectively treated with meditation and progressive muscle relaxation. Conclusion VR can simplify the lives of those patients who are unable to leave home, due to illness or disability, allowing them to comply with therapy sessions.

In-Depth Research on the Behavioral Impact of Violence-Oriented Cartoons among Children

One significant experience in children's early life is watching cartoons. This activity has a significant impact on a variety of variables, including kids' behavioral and cognitive development. This study focuses on school-age children, namely those in the 4–13 age range. This study focuses on the effects of the Violence-Oriented Cartoons channel on children's entire development, including language, motor, social learning, social cognitive, and moral development. 500 samples from various ages of children’s Group A and Group B were gathered for this investigation. This study aims to investigate the behavioral and emotional effects of exposure to violence-oriented cartoons on children. In particular, it aims to evaluate the effects of this type of social behavior, aggressiveness levels, attention span, emotional reactions, and the desensitization of violence in comparison to nonviolent cartoons. Using a sample of 500 children, 200 were exposed to non-violence-oriented cartoons and 300 were exposed to violence-oriented cartoons. The study used two groups. The study highlights that children who watched violent cartoons showed significantly higher levels of aggression, lower social behavior, shorter attention spans, increased desensitization, and stronger negative emotional responses than children who watched nonviolent cartoons. Study finds the importance of careful consideration of children's media content and suggests the potential benefits of limiting exposure to violent imagery in cartoons.

Adapting to Diversity: Leveraging AI for ESL Learning Enhancement

Recent years have seen tremendous advancements in artificial intelligence, which is now pervasive in many aspects of society. Its ability to emulate human intelligence sets it apart. Artificial Intelligence is being explored more and more in the field of education as a possible aid to enhance language acquisition, particularly in the development of students' communication skills. Artificial Intelligence possesses the capability to deliver dynamic, adaptable, and personalized learning experiences that are suited to individual student needs and interests. The purpose of this research is to identify each student's preferred method of learning and adapt the language-learning process to meet their needs. This suggests that each student can focus on the areas in which they require the most assistance and work at their own pace while studying. The important part that social interactions, group projects, and cognitive development play. According to this viewpoint, less skilled students participate in cooperative learning activities with more skilled people, such as teachers or, in modern environments, computer programs. In addition, the enormous volumes of data that AI can analyse and draw conclusions from can be utilized to address the varied language and cultural backgrounds of students. It also shows how important it is to adapt lessons to meet the different needs of English language learners. Overall, these results show how important it is to change the way we teach to fit the needs of different groups of people and to use new technologies like AI to make learning more specific and help students do better in ESL classes.

Face perception and social cognitive development in early autism: A prospective longitudinal study from 3 months to 7 years of age.

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is characterized by atypical attention to eyes and faces, but the onset and impact of these atypicalities remain unclear. This prospective longitudinal study examined face perception in infants who develop ASC (N = 22, female = 5, 100% White) compared with typically developing infants (N = 131, female = 65, 55.6% White), tracking social-cognitive and ASC development through age seven. Reduced interest in direct gaze and eyes during infancy correlated with atypical development of adaptive behavior at age four and theory of mind at age seven. Principal component analyses revealed less integrated processing of facial features and eye-gaze information in ASC infants, potentially impacting their childhood social functioning. These findings highlight the intertwined nature of social-cognitive development and ASC.

Probability errors in children's judgements about the likelihood of social characteristics.

The studies reported here investigated mechanisms underlying children's tendency to commit the conjunction fallacy (judging that a conjunction of two events is more likely than one of the events in isolation) when judging people's characteristics. Study 1 investigated these errors in 4- and 5-year-olds (N = 58) using a newly developed social judgement task in which children judged whether a conjunction or one of its elements would apply to a protagonist. Children made conjunction fallacy errors at chance level. Study 2 (N = 71) replicated these findings using an adapted version of the task, in which children separately judged the likelihood of the conjunction and each of its events. Study 3 investigated age-related changes in conjunction fallacy errors in a sample of 148 children aged 4 to 11 years old and 130 adults. This study also investigated how providing background information on the protagonist influenced error rate. Unlike younger children, 10- and 11-year-olds committed the conjunction fallacy at chance level in the absence of background information, but providing information consistent with the likely component of the conjunction significantly increased their error rate. Adults' error rate also significantly increased after the introduction of background information. Across all three studies, conjunction fallacy errors were unrelated to cognitive and social-cognitive abilities, such as verbal ability, theory of mind, and inhibitory control (Studies 1 and 2), and prejudice and hindsight bias (Study 3). These findings suggest that it is only in the second decade of life that children use social information to inform their judgements about people and that social decision-making errors are not determined by core aspects of cognitive and social-cognitive development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of Good Dairy Farming Practices, Welfare and Performance: A Review

This review underscores the critical role of good dairy farming practices in enhancing both animal welfare and dairy performance. International organizations like the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and country-specific protocols emphasize the need for tailored Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure effective and contextually appropriate practices. Advanced housing systems for calves, such as pair and group housing, have shown significant benefits in improving social interaction, cognitive development, and overall health. Effective pain management, particularly during procedures like disbudding, and optimized feeding strategies, including appropriate feed delivery timing and frequency, are crucial for enhancing health and productivity. Proper flooring, such as rubber mats, significantly improves cow comfort by providing a softer surface that reduces the risk of lameness and injuries associated with concrete floors. Effective pen management helps to mitigate dominance issues and minimize stress, leading to better welfare and productivity. Gentle handling practices, involving positive interactions like patting and stroking, significantly enhance animal welfare and milk production compared to aversive methods. Addressing issues such as mold and mycotoxins in feed is also essential for maintaining animal health and avoiding adverse effects on growth and milk production. Overall, adopting comprehensive dairy farming practices that prioritize animal welfare not only improves health and reduces stress but also leads to increased dairy productivity and sustainability, highlighting the interdependence of welfare and performance in the dairy industry.

Rethinking the “we” in “we” intentionality: intention-sharing with—and not simply about—things

ABSTRACT This paper aims to place the general thesis for a species-unique “shared” or “we” intentionality, against the theoretical background of the material engagement approach. We will argue that the human ability to enact and share intentions rests upon a relational and participatory foundation of situated activity where intentional transactions between humans as well as between humans and things (in the broadest sense of material environment) are inseparable from the situational affordances of their engagement. Based on that, the paper advocates for an ecological-enactive account of shared intentionality which understands material engagement as central to the evolution and development of human social cognition.

The brain origins of early social cognition.

This commentary challenges Spelke's view on the early development of social cognition from a neuroscience perspective by presenting an overlooked body of evidence from neuroimaging research on joint attention with human infants. Indeed, evidence demonstrating adult-like, neural sensitivity to joint attention in young infants, supports alternative theoretical views concerning the origins of uniquely human forms of social cognition.

Early social-cognitive development as a dynamic developmental system—a lifeworld approach

Early social-cognitive development as a dynamic developmental system—a lifeworld approach

Executive Function and Spatial Skills in Children’s Block Play: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

ABSTRACT Research Findings: There are sparse data on children’s use of executive function (EF) and spatial skills in block play. However, there are important implications for studying EF and spatial skills with blocks across cultures, especially regarding best practices for supporting social-cognitive development in under-resourced populations and consideration of culturally unique customs and practices. Therefore, the current study compared EF-based skills and spatial block building behaviors in Canadian and Tzotzil Maya children. Participants included 82 preschoolers (55% Canadian) ages 48–59 months (M age = 54.37 months, SD = 3.37) observed and coded during a group block play session with peers. Controlling for demographic covariates, a composite EF-based variable including six behaviors (intentional selection of blocks, taking time, response inhibition, replacing/moving blocks, stabilizing, aligning) was significantly and positively associated with spatial configurations in block structures (symmetry, β = .34; tiered orientation, β = .37) The associations did not vary by culture. Practice or Policy: Results provide new knowledge about use of EF-based skills and spatial skills in an ecologically valid context and implications for cross-cultural measurement and practice.

Exposure to the parents' speech is positively associated with preterm infant's face preference.

The parents' presence and involvement in neonatal care is a promising approach to improve preterm infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes. We examined whether exposure to the parents' speech is associated with the preterm infant's social-cognitive development. The study included infants born before 32 gestational weeks in two neonatal units. Each infant's language environment was assessed from 16-hour recordings using Language Environment Analysis (LENA®). Parental presence was assessed with Closeness Diary for 14 days during the hospital stay. Attention to faces and non-face patterns was measured at the corrected age of seven months using an eye-tracking disengagement test. A total of 63 preterm infants were included. Infants were less likely to disengage their attention from faces (M = 0.55, SD = 0.26) than non-face patterns (M = 0.24, SD = 0.22), p < 0.001, d = 0.84. Exposure to the parents' speech during the neonatal period was positively correlated with the preference for faces over non-face patterns (rs = 0.34, p = 0.009) and with the preference for parents over unfamiliar faces (rs = 0.28, p = 0.034). The exposure to the parents' speech during neonatal hospital care is a potential early marker for later social development in preterm infants. The exposure to the parents' speech during neonatal intensive care is a potential early marker for optimal social-cognitive development in preterm infants. This is the first study to show an association between parental vocal contact during neonatal intensive care and early social development (i.e., face preference), measured at seven months of corrected age. Our findings suggest that we should pay attention to the parents' vocal contact with their child in the neonatal intensive care unit and identify need for tailored support for face-to-face and vocal contact.

Transdiagnostic considerations are critical to understanding childhood neurodevelopmental disorders.

Growing dissatisfaction with the current categorical diagnostic systems has led to a movement toward transdiagnostic dimensional approaches to assessment of childhood mental health disorders. We argue that a transdiagnostic approach is especially important and appropriate when screening for neurodevelopmental disorders during early childhood. In the early childhood years, symptoms often appear in the form of developmental delays that could portend a variety of different disorders. Early intervention at this point is critical, even though a final endpoint disorder is not yet apparent. Intervening early has the potential to grow the area of weakness, possibly correcting or at least ameliorating these delays. Early intervention requires a multidisciplinary approach integrating efforts across settings and providers that monitor the development of young children. We argue here that young children's language ability is central to the development of social cognition, and a prerequisite for adequate social functioning. Social deficits are defining features of a subset of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and social (pragmatic) communication disorder. Critically, impairment in social functioning is common in additional neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorders, and even motor disorders. For this reason, we argue that, at the earliest sign of a possible neurodevelopmental disorder, children should be screened for language deficits prior to initiating a focused assessment for a specific type of neurodevelopmental disorder such as ADHD. Any detected language deficits should be considered in the design and implementation of the assessment, as well as the ultimate intervention plan.

Visual Preference for Socially Relevant Spatial Relations in Humans and Monkeys.

As a powerful social signal, a body, face, or gaze facing toward oneself holds an individual's attention. We asked whether, going beyond an egocentric stance, facingness between others has a similar effect and why. In a preferential-looking time paradigm, human adults showed spontaneous preference to look at two bodies facing toward (vs. away from) each other (Experiment 1a, N = 24). Moreover, facing dyads were rated higher on social semantic dimensions, showing that facingness adds social value to stimuli (Experiment 1b, N = 138). The same visual preference was found in juvenile macaque monkeys (Experiment 2, N = 21). Finally, on the human development timescale, this preference emerged by 5 years, although young infants by 7 months of age already discriminate visual scenes on the basis of body positioning (Experiment 3, N = 120). We discuss how the preference for facing dyads-shared by human adults, young children, and macaques-can signal a new milestone in social cognition development, supporting processing and learning from third-party social interactions.

Exploring the associations between structural and functional aspects of social relationships and cognition in very old age

Objectives Few studies have examined the associations between social relationships and cognition in very old adults (80+ years). Moreover, limited research has considered structural and functional aspects of social relationships together when exploring their associations with cognition. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the associations between structural and functional social aspects and cognition in very old age. Method The sample comprised 518 two-wave participants of the NRW80+ Study, who showed no indication of dementia and an average age of 85 years at baseline (range: 80–97 years). They were assessed twice over an approximate 2-year interval. Multilevel linear growth curve analysis was employed to model cognitive development over very old age and to examine the associations between structural and functional aspects of social relationships and cognitive development. It was controlled for demographic and health characteristics. Results A larger social network size (ß = 0.05, 95% CI [0.02, 0.08], p = 0.002) and frequent compared with occasional, seldom, and no contact with others (ß = 0.16, 95% CI [0.03, 0.28], p = 0.013) were associated with higher global cognition in the fully-controlled model. Model comparisons further revealed that structural aspects better predicted global cognition in very old age compared to functional aspects (χ2(2) = 16.17, p < 0.001). Conclusion The findings underline the positive association between structural aspects of social relationships and global cognition in very old age. They also highlight the need for interventions promoting a socially active lifestyle to prevent cognitive decline in this vulnerable age group.

Age-related trajectories of the development of social cognition.

Age-related trajectories of intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC), which represent the interconnections between discrete regions of the human brain, for processes related to social cognition (SC) provide evidence for social development through neural imaging and can guide clinical interventions when such development is atypical. However, due to the lack of studies investigating brain development over a wide range of ages, the neural mechanisms of SC remain poorly understood, although considerable behavior-related evidence is available. The present study mapped vortex-wise iFC features between SC networks and the entire cerebral cortex by using common functional networks, creating the corresponding age-related trajectories. Three networks [moral cognition, theory of mind (ToM), and empathy] were selected as representative SC networks. The Enhanced Nathan Kline Institute-Rockland Sample (NKI-RS, N = 316, ages 8-83 years old) was employed delineate iFC characteristics and construct trajectories. The results showed that the SC networks display unique and overlapping iFC profiles. The iFC of the empathy network, an age-sensitive network, with dorsal attention network was found to exhibit a linear increasing pattern, that of the ventral attention network was observed to exhibit a linear decreasing pattern, and that of the somatomotor and dorsal attention networks was noted to exhibit a quadric-concave iFC pattern. Additionally, a sex-specific effect was observed for the empathy network as it exhibits linear and quadric sex-based differences in iFC with the frontoparietal and vision networks, respectively. The iFC of the ToM network with the ventral attention network exhibits a pronounced quadric-convex (inverted U-shape) trajectory. No linear or quadratic trajectories were noted in the iFC of the moral cognition network. These findings indicate that SC networks exhibit iFC with both low-level (somatomotor, vision) and high-level (attention and control) networks along specific developmental trajectories. The age-related trajectories determined in this study advance our understanding of the neural mechanisms of SC, providing valuable references for identification and intervention in cases of development of atypical SC.

Visual attention patterns during a gaze following task in neurogenetic syndromes associated with unique profiles of autistic traits: Fragile X and Cornelia de Lange syndromes

BackgroundGaze following difficulties are considered an early marker of autism, thought likely to cumulatively impact the development of social cognition, language and social skills. Subtle differences in gaze following abilities may contribute to the diverse range social and communicative autistic characteristics observed across people with genetic syndromes, such as Cornelia de Lange (CdLS) and fragile X (FXS) syndromes. AimsTo compare profiles of 1) visual attention to the eye region at critical points of the attention direction process, 2) whether children follow the gaze cue to the object, and 3) participant looking time to the target object following the gaze cue between groups and conditions. Materials and methodsChildren with CdLS (N = 11) and FXS (N = 8) and autistic (N = 22) and neurotypical (N = 15) children took part in a passive viewing paradigm adapted from Senju and Csibra (2008), in which videos of a central cue (ball/cartoon face/human face) directed attention towards one of two objects. Visual attention patterns were recorded via eye tracking technology. ResultsNeurotypical children were used as a reference group against which the autistic, CdLS and FXS groups were compared. Although autistic children looked at the eye region for significantly less time, they looked at the target object as frequently and for a similar duration as neurotypical children. Children with FXS looked at the target as frequently as neurotypical children but looked at it for comparatively less time. Both neurotypical children and children with CdLS frequently looked at the eye region, but children with CdLS were less likely to look at the target than neurotypical children. ConclusionsFindings provide preliminary evidence of unique patterns of visual attention and gaze following strategies in children with CdLS, children with FXS and autistic children. These unique gaze following patterns may underpin the distinct profiles of social and communication autistic traits observed between these groups.

Media exposure and preschoolers' social-cognitive development.

Exposure to narratives may have beneficial effects on children's social-cognitive development because narratives provide information about the social world and often require social understanding for story comprehension. In the current study, we examined the influence of narratives presented via different media (books, audiobooks, TV/films) on theory-of-mind performance and mental verb comprehension in a sample of 114 three- to six-year-old preschool children. Parents' reports on the number of (children's) books at home, the overall duration of TV/film and audio media exposure, the frequency of shared book reading, watching children's TV/films and audiobook listening, and parent-child discussions about media content were collected. Children's theory-of-mind performance and mental verb comprehension were measured as dependent variables. When gender, age, language skills and parental education were controlled, only the number of children's books, shared book reading frequency, audio-media exposure and audiobook usage significantly predicted children's theory-of-mind scores. None of the media exposure or the parent-child discussion variables had significant incremental effects above the family and child characteristics on mental verb comprehension.