Recent research debates the effects of exposure to narrative fiction on recognition of mental states in others and self, referred to as Theory of Mind. The current study explores the mechanisms by which such effects could occur in fictional film. Using manipulated film scenes, we conducted a between subject experiment ( = 136) exploring how film shot-scale affects viewers' Theory of Mind. Specifically, in our methods we distinguish between the trait Theory of Mind abilities (ToM ability), and the state-like tendency to recognize mental states in others and self (ToM tendency). Results showed that close-up shots (compared to long shots) of a character was associated with higher levels of Theory of Mind tendency, when the facial expression was sad but not when it was neutral. And this effect did not transfer to other characters in the film. There was also no observable effect of character depiction on viewers' general Theory of Mind ability. Together the findings suggest that formal and content features of shot scale can elicit Theory of Mind responses by directing attention toward character mental states rather than improving viewers' general Theory of Mind ability.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5776141 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02349 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
A Qualitative Inquiry of Patients Using Virtual Reality to Mitigate Cancer Pain.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care
January 2025
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) is a rapidly evolving technology that has been shown to improve pain severity in different disease states, including cancer. To date, VR pain studies have used off-the-shelf products for pain distraction. What are user preferences for VR content to mitigate cancer pain?.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProcesses and measurements: a framework for understanding neural oscillations in field potentials.
Trends Cogn Sci
January 2025
Machine Learning in Science, Excellence Cluster Machine Learning and Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address:
Various neuroscientific theories maintain that brain oscillations are important for neuronal computation, but opposing views claim that these macroscale dynamics are 'exhaust fumes' of more relevant processes. Here, we approach the question of whether oscillations are functional or epiphenomenal by distinguishing between measurements and processes, and by reviewing whether causal or inferentially useful links exist between field potentials, electric fields, and neurobiological events. We introduce a vocabulary for the role of brain signals and their underlying processes, demarcating oscillations as a distinct entity where both processes and measurements can exhibit periodicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence that altercentric biases in a continuous false belief task depend on highlighting the agent's belief.
Cognition
January 2025
Minerva Fast Track Group Milestones of Early Cognitive Development, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Saxony, Germany; Department of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Technology Nuremberg, Ulmenstraße 52i, 90443 Nuremberg, Germany. Electronic address:
As social beings, we excel at understanding what other people think or believe. We even seem to be influenced by the belief of others in situations where it is irrelevant to our current tasks. Such altercentric interference has been proposed to reflect implicit belief processing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLanguage, theory of mind and cognitive skills in Arabic-speaking children with and without autism: Evidence from network and cluster analyses.
J Commun Disord
November 2024
Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel. Electronic address:
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social interactions, social communication, and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Previous studies have reported mixed findings regarding the links between language (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClinical Manifestations.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Background: Financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) denotes the risk for falling victim to financial fraud and older adults reportedly lose an estimated $36 billion annually to scams. Socioemotional and cognitive impairments are potential risk factors for FEV in older adults with dementia. The present study examines whether the socioemotional measures of sensitivity to unfairness and self-unawareness of socioemotional dysfunction and brain atrophy are associated with increased risk for FEV in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!