Individual differences in adults’ mindreading: psychometric challenges and the role of social motivation

Pomareda Gillessen, Christina (2024). Individual differences in adults’ mindreading: psychometric challenges and the role of social motivation. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The last four decades have witnessed extensive scientific investigation of mindreading (or ‘theory of mind’), that is, the socio-cognitive capacity to attribute mental states such as beliefs, desires and intentions to oneself and others. The present research was motivated by the observations that despite most adults having a conceptual understanding of mental states, adults exhibit substantial variation in how and to what extent they engage in mindreading and, secondly, that comprehending the nature of such variation requires the consideration of motivational factors. We investigated individual differences in mindreading in community adult populations both in terms of the accuracy of mindreading, or ‘contextually justified mindreading’ (see chapter 2), as well as in terms of the processes involved (see chapter 3). To achieve the latter, a unique approach was developed to capture individual differences in the structure of adults’ mindreading, irrespective of response accuracy. Instead of relying on existing measures with inadequate psychometric properties, we sought to refine existing measures (see chapters 2) and to develop a novel measure of mindreading validated across two independent samples (see chapter 3). This exposed that there are reliably measurable, content-irrelevant processes and strategies that individuals employ when engaging in mindreading. Finally, this research assessed the role of individual differences in mindreading alongside social motivational factors (see chapters 2 and 4), revealing that there were positive associations between mindreading and social motivation, while both were still distinguishable constructs. The results also showed unique associations between individual differences in social motivation (but not mindreading) and social competence and mental health (see chapter 4). The present findings challenge past epistemological assumptions about how mindreading can be operationalised and measured and provide support for the notion that researchers interested in mindreading should consider social-motivational factors alongside mindreading.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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