Simon Baron-Cohen's Theory Of Mind

Theory of mind represents a persons ability to ‘walk around in someones elses shoes’, or recognise that other people feel and think differently from that person. It affects their ability to understand and empathise with others’ mental states, and to realise that everyone has their own intentions , emotions, likes and dislikes, and beliefs.

Sometimes theory of mind is called ‘mindreading’ and in response to that name , researcher , Simon Baron-Cohen called the state of not being able to do this , ‘mindblindness’.Children who have no or limited theory of mind are unable to read peoples minds. They don’t know that the switch of eye contact as someone is speaking to them denotes something. They don’t understand that there are underlying motivations

It is considered that this may be one of the root causes for a childs social interaction and some communication difficulties. It is also though that this may explain some tendancies such as needing structure and routine , and may also be related to their inability to see the bigger ‘picture’.

A downside of the mindblindness theory is that it doesn’t really explain the non-social problems that autistic people struggle with.

Although theory of mind is not considered to be true empathy – more an inability to read social cues- it is still thought that deficits and delays in empathy can explain much of the difficulties found within autism , while the strengths that they display can be put down to an elevated ability to systemise.

Theory of mind is thought to be the ‘thinking ‘ part of empathy , the cognitive part. However , psychologists differentiate between that and the response element of empathy , that is, having an emotional reaction to someones action or feelings- one that is considered to be

E-S Theory explains both social and non-social aspects of ASD , and goes some way to explaining how it is that a child with ASD can adapt the things that they are good at to compensate for the things in which they are not.

Extreme male brain theory ;

Because females are seen as being better at empathising , while males are seen as better at systemising , and ASD-and especially Aspergers syndrome-people are often seen as being particularly good at systemising, the theory that Dr Asperger himself put across over 50 years ago is that the condition is an extreme case extension of the male brain type.

5 brain types can be seen as possible with this theory;

• Type E=those brains that are better at empathising than systemising

• Type S=those brains that are better at systemising than empathising

• Type B=those brains that have a balance between the 2

• Extreme type E=where the brain is brilliant at empathising but struggles to