Show simple item record

Files in this item

Thumbnail

Item metadata

dc.contributor.authorMcClung, Jennifer Susan
dc.contributor.authorReicher, Stephen David
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-27T23:37:57Z
dc.date.available2019-05-27T23:37:57Z
dc.date.issued2018-05
dc.identifier.citationMcClung , J S & Reicher , S D 2018 , ' Representing other minds : mental state reference is moderated by group membership ' , Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , vol. 76 , pp. 385-392 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2017.11.013en
dc.identifier.issn0022-1031
dc.identifier.otherPURE: 251665819
dc.identifier.otherPURE UUID: 0f4b6be0-30f6-490e-9106-a3aaa11818b3
dc.identifier.otherRIS: urn:D61607B6BB6E8DD0423CC9C4A1E7923D
dc.identifier.otherScopus: 85035217499
dc.identifier.otherWOS: 000432508900037
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10023/17767
dc.descriptionThis work was supported by a departmental stipend to the first author from the University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.en
dc.description.abstractThe ability to infer the psychological forces that drive others' behaviour is a cornerstone of human cognition. This ‘theory of mind’ (ToM) we have has been extensively studied in its developmental stages and non-human forms. However, how the fully developed theory of mind functions on a daily basis is still the focus of ongoing research. One capacity stemming from theory of mind involves overt linguistic mental state reference. We propose that, rather than being a capacity that those with a fully developed ToM use consistently, mental state reference is a function of our social relationship to others: specifically, whether the other is perceived as an in-group or out-group member. We therefore examined spontaneous mental state reference during casual conversation as a function of group membership. Participants were divided into ‘in-group’ or ‘out-group’ pairs using a classic minimal group paradigm. Next, they were allowed to converse casually with their partner without the experimenter present and then subsequently asked to describe their partner in a written format after interactions. We scored participants' conversations and their written descriptions of each other for frequency and complexity of mental state reference. Results showed that, when interacting with presumed out-group members, participants referenced their partners' mental states significantly less often than when interacting with presumed in-group members. This effect was found both during conversations and in subsequent descriptions of the partner. Spontaneous mental state reference is apparently not a consistent psychological process but instead subject to social constructs, specifically group membership.
dc.language.isoeng
dc.relation.ispartofJournal of Experimental Social Psychologyen
dc.rightsCopyright © 2017, Elsevier Inc. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2017.11.013en
dc.subjectTheory of minden
dc.subjectInter-groupen
dc.subjectMental state attributionen
dc.subjectMental state referenceen
dc.subjectBF Psychologyen
dc.subjectDASen
dc.subject.lccBFen
dc.titleRepresenting other minds : mental state reference is moderated by group membershipen
dc.typeJournal articleen
dc.description.versionPostprinten
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscienceen
dc.contributor.institutionUniversity of St Andrews. St Andrews Sustainability Instituteen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2017.11.013
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.date.embargoedUntil2019-05-28


This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record