ToMComputations · How other minds are represented in the human brain: Neural computations underlying Theory of Mind
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-06-01 → 2021-05-31
- EU contribution
- €187,572
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
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Results in brief
How other minds are represented in the human brain: Neural computations underlying Theory of Mind
What makes humans the most successful species on the planet? Most theories on human dominance attribute a special role to our hyper-sociality. We not only tolerate living in large groups, but we can collaborate to achieve goals, agree on abstract concepts like religions and companies, teach our young about things they haven’t encountered yet, and accumulate knowledge across generations. But what is the cause of our ability to achieve all these feats? All of these behaviours rely on an ability called Theory of Mind (ToM) - our ability to imagine what is in the mind of others. By “taking their perspective” we can understand their knowledge and beliefs of the world, even if that differs from our own. When we can achieve that, we can communicate, teach, and collaborate. The importance of this ability is dramatically demonstrated when it breaks down in various ways, such as in autism or in psychopathy. Theory of Mind is, however, a multi-faceted concept. Many researchers mean slightly different things when using the term. This MSCA sought to provide an integrative model of Theory of Mind and its functional subprocesses. The main goal was to clarify which features of mental states are represented in brain areas implicated in social cognition. To address this question, a combination of different approaches was used. Brain activation was analyzed and compared across various social cognition tasks with rich and complex, high-level stimuli. The identified areas and networks were also analyzed for plasticity effects related to frequent versus infrequent social contact. Finally, ongoing work is applying a computational model for the study of brain activation to differentiate components of belief representation for Theory of Mind reasoning.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Successful human social behaviour relies on an ability called Theory of Mind (ToM) – the ability to infer the mental states (beliefs, desires) of other people. ToM is the basis of human cooperation and prosocial behaviour, and its importance is dramatically demonstrated when it breaks down in various ways such as in autism or psychopathy. Unfortunately, ToM is often defined rather broadly, and little is known about the exact computations that are carried out in the brain when we think about other minds.This project aims to provide a solid, formal understanding of the computations undertaken by our cognitive system during ToM, and their implementation in the brain. Two complementary approaches will be taken in separate brain imaging experiments using fMRI. First, a top-down approach will be employed, that uses complex verbal stimuli to study ToM in its widest variety. Second, a computationally well understood task paradigm will be adapted to a social setting, presenting quantitative stimuli that can be exactly captured by a formal model. Overlap in brain activation found by the two approaches will establish a comprehensive account of how the brain achieves this remarkable human ability.The project will be carried out at one of Europe’s leading cognitive neuroscience centres under supervision of a research group that has recently pioneered the use of computational approaches to investigate higher-level human cognitive processes. This is an ideal set-up for transfer of knowledge from the host to the applicant (computational modeling) and vice-versa (applicant's anatomical knowledge gathered in Oxford). The project's interdisciplinary approach combines formal computational models with neuroimaging data, and will be one of the first to employ this technique to ask specific questions about Theory of Mind. Its implications can be directly translated to clinical research, and are also relevant for educational research.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT · NijmegenCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union