Individual differences and Universals of Human Social Cognitive Development
A comprehensive understanding of healthy and atypical social cognitive development can only be accomplished if these apparently contrasting perspectives are combined into an integrative approach. We have to take into account supposedly universal mechanisms like natural pedagogy (Csibra & Gergely, 2009) when considering inter-individual differences and vice versa. Such a multi-level approach requires the application of various methods, from genotyping, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological brain recordings to behavioral experiments and anthropological observations. Researchers from different theoretical backgrounds and working with different methods will be invited who are conjunct in their interest in the early development of social cognition in healthy children and in children with ASD.
The aim of the symposium is to develop an integrative approach for studying four fundamental domains of social cognitive performance in early development: emotion processing, action perception, joint attention, and Theory of Mind in healthy infants and young children as well as in children with autism who are impaired in each of these functional areas. We will discuss interrelations between cognitive functions both within and between these domains. Our goal is to identify the key universal and inter-individual factors that need to be considered when investigating social cognitive development. Ultimately, this will help us to identify factors that promote healthy development as well as enable early diagnosis of atypical development in ASD. The symposium will comprise four sessions with talks as outlined below and an integrative workshop in which future directions for the field will be discussed and future collaborations will be planned. In particular, we will work on an outline for a joint grant proposal, which will be submitted to the European Commission.
Contact:
Dr. Stefanie Höhl
Psychologisches Institut
Hauptstr. 47-51
69117 Heidelberg
Telefon +49 (0) 6221 54 7373
E-Mail: stefanie.hoehl@psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de
