Week 3, Lecture 2: Mentalizing

How do pSTS and FFA relate to one another?

pSTS = biological motion

FFA = specific identity , invariatnt (unchanging aspects of faces)

When you look at ppl with damage in the PSTS = making sense of biological motion 

• Point upside dwon walkers, 

• Cannot differentiate btw biological and random motion 

• Specificity 

what is pSTS?

posterior superior temporal sulcus

mentalizing

• Mentalizing is the process by which we give meaning to our own behaviour and that of others from the mental states that lie behind it, such as feelings, needs, and expectations. It allows us to do what we physically cannot do: look inside our own head and the heads of others. As a result, we can better understand ourselves and others and behaviour also become more predictable

what is attribution

the process of deciding why people behave the way they do and how we assign causes to events and actions.

whatre the 3 Qs of mentalizng

1. Which species in nature has this capacity 

   1. Humans only (false beliefs) 

2. When do you get it? What age do you show this ability for mentalizing 

3. How does the human brain accomplish this task? 

whatre the 3 As of mentalizing?

1. only humans have the false belief capability

2. you get it at age 4.5

3. TOM of mind depends on same parts of brain that analytical reasoning, logic etc

   1. DLPFC = WM, hold info in mind compare and contrast, move info around, logical reasoning 

      Dorsal lateral PFC 

      
      
      

      
      
      

what did dan dennett say about mentalizing

maybe sarah the chimpanzee was just projecting what she would wanna do in the situation and not understand wath the motives of the man are at all.

what is the hierarchy of theory of mind

1. emotional contagion

2. goals and intentions (dogs)

3. what others see and know (monkey, crows)

4. false beliefs (punch and judy study) - the sally anne task

what is the difference between TOM and mentalziing?

theory of mind refers to our cpacity to appreicate that others have minds tht might have different contents than our onw

mentalizing is the process of actually making sense of those other minds , implying you already have TOM

IMPORTANT: what are the components for the TOM neural system?

1. DMPFC = dorsomedial PFC

2. PCC = posterior cingulate cortex

3. TPJ = tempoparietal junction

4. TP = temporal pole

IMPORTANT: what are the components for the mentalizing neural system?

1. DMPFC = dorsomedial PFC

2. Posterior cingulate

3. TPJ = tempoparietal junction

4. TP = temporal pole

   

   reasoing about other ppls menatl states, social thinking not semantic

wahts interesting about the DMN and the mentalizing network?

• DMN = looks like mentalizing network 

  Not identical but highly similar 

what are the two most important in the metalizng system?

1. DMPFC = dorsomedial PFC

1. TPJ = tempoparietal junction

WM = wroking memory

Vary the load level, hold 5 vs 7 vs 9 numbers in mind

waht is the antieffort system?

DMN === not a low effort system, specifcalized for social thinking, so that if you cognitive tasks, it quiets, 

Task-Positive Network (TPN).

does the opposite of DMN