Gender Differences in Theory of Mind
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Jennifer Bragger
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2023 1:44 PM
End Date
26-4-2023 2:45 PM
Description
Differences between genders have long been a discussion in the social cognition sphere. The current study with the Cognitive and Leadership lab will investigate the relationship between gender and Theory of Mind (ToM). ToM is the ability to understand another’s mental state, which varies from person to person (Baimel et al., 2015). Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and behaviors typically based on the biological sex of an individual. In this current study, cross-sectional data was gathered from Montclair State University Students via the Cognition and Leadership Lab. Students were asked to identify their gender, and measures such as Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RME) (Baron-Cohen, 2001), Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) (Dziobek et al., 2006), and Director's Task (Dumontheil et al., 2010) were used to compare levels of ToM. Due to differences in gender socialization and interactions discussed in past research, this study is a theoretical replication. Specifically, we hypothesized that both men and women would have a positive relationship with ToM, but women will have a stronger positive relationship and show higher levels of ToM.
Gender Differences in Theory of Mind
Differences between genders have long been a discussion in the social cognition sphere. The current study with the Cognitive and Leadership lab will investigate the relationship between gender and Theory of Mind (ToM). ToM is the ability to understand another’s mental state, which varies from person to person (Baimel et al., 2015). Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and behaviors typically based on the biological sex of an individual. In this current study, cross-sectional data was gathered from Montclair State University Students via the Cognition and Leadership Lab. Students were asked to identify their gender, and measures such as Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RME) (Baron-Cohen, 2001), Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) (Dziobek et al., 2006), and Director's Task (Dumontheil et al., 2010) were used to compare levels of ToM. Due to differences in gender socialization and interactions discussed in past research, this study is a theoretical replication. Specifically, we hypothesized that both men and women would have a positive relationship with ToM, but women will have a stronger positive relationship and show higher levels of ToM.