Theory of Mind experience sampling in typical adults

Abstract

We explored the frequency with which typical adults make Theory of Mind (ToM) attributions, and under what circumstances these attributions occur. We used an experience sampling method to query 30 typical adults about their everyday thoughts. Participants carried a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) that prompted them to categorize their thoughts as Action, Mental State, or Miscellaneous at approximately 30 pseudo-random times during a continuous 10-hr period. Additionally, participants noted the direction of their thought (self vs. other) and degree of socializing (with people vs. alone) at the time of inquiry. We were interested in the relative frequency of ToM (mental state attributions) and how prominent they were in immediate social exchanges. Analyses of multiple choice answers suggest that typical adults: 1) spend more time thinking about actions than mental states and miscellaneous things, 2) exhibit a higher degree of own- versus other-directed thought when alone, and 3) make mental state attributions more frequently when not interacting (offline) than while interacting with others (online). A significant 3-way interaction between thought type, direction of thought, and socializing emerged because action but not mental state thoughts about others occurred more frequently when participants were interacting with people versus when alone; whereas there was an increase in the frequency of both action and mental state attributions about the self when participants were alone as opposed to socializing. A secondary analysis of coded free text responses supports findings 1–3. The results of this study help to create a more naturalistic picture of ToM use in everyday life and the method shows promise for future study of typical and atypical thought processes.

Investigating pristine inner experience: Implications for experience sampling and questionnaires

“…As noted above, some (e.g., Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2014;Krueger et al, 2014), have suggested that pristine inner experience can be effectively investigated by other techniques including typical (non-DES) sampling methods and questionnaires. We now explore that suggestion by comparing and contrasting DES with a typical experience sampling study (Bryant, Coffey, Povinelli, & Pruett, 2013, which uses ESM to explore Theory of Mind) and with a typical questionnaire (the Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire, VISQ, McCarthy-Jones & Fernyhough, 2011). We use these studies as convenient ''laboratory specimens'' that we can dissect in the service of gaining an understanding of general principles.…”

“…We now examine the procedure of a typical non-DES experience sampling study, using as an example the Bryant et al (2013) study of Theory of Mind. Bryant and colleagues use the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), which we schematize in the ''ESM'' column of Table 1.…”

Continuing debates on direct social perception: Some notes on Gallagher’s analysis of “the new hybrids”

“…2 Recently, Bryant, Coffey, Povinelli, and Pruett (2013) have carried out a pioneering study using the experience sampling method to investigate the frequency of mental state attributions in contrast to behavioral attributions and miscellaneous thoughts. Bohl (2014) proposes a more specific hypothesis concerning the frequency and function of mindreading, which could be tested by the method of experience sampling.…”

Phenomenology of Social Cognition

“…Scientific data on this topic are very scarce. As of now, there is only one published scientific study on the phenomenology of social cognition, and it does not address the reliability of phenomenology (Bryant, Coffey, Povinelli, & Pruett Jr, 2013). Thus, we must look elsewhere for evidence on the reliability of phenomenology of social cognition.…”

“…It is worth discussing the results of the one empirical study on the phenomenology of social cognition (Bryant et al, 2013). This study, by Lauren Bryant and colleagues, employs Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) to investigate how often subjects consciously find themselves thinking about others' mental states.…”