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Is theory of mind a prerequisite for social interactions? A study in psychotic disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2019

Maude Schneider Open the ORCID record for Maude Schneider [Opens in a new window] ,
Erik Myin  and
Inez Myin-Germeys
Maude Schneider*
Affiliation:
KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Lab, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Erik Myin
Affiliation:
Centre for Philosophical Psychology, Department of Philosophy, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Inez Myin-Germeys
Affiliation:
KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Contextual Psychiatry, Leuven, Belgium
*
Author for correspondence: Maude Schneider, E-mail: Maude.Schneider@kuleuven.be
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Abstract

Background

A dominant idea is that impaired capacities for theory of mind (ToM) are the reasons for impairments in social functioning in several conditions, including autism and schizophrenia. In this paper, we present empirical evidence that challenges this influential assumption.

Methods

We conducted three studies examining the association between ToM and social functioning in participants diagnosed with a non-affective psychotic disorder and healthy individuals. We used both the experience sampling method, a structured diary technique collecting information in daily-life, and a standardised questionnaire to assess social functioning. Analysed data are part of Wave 1 and Wave 3 of the Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis (GROUP) study.

Results

Results were highly consistent across studies and showed no significant association between the two constructs.

Conclusions

These findings question the leading assumption that social cognition is a prerequisite for social functioning, but rather suggest that social cognition is possibly a result of basic social interactive capacities.

Keywords

Daily-lifeembodied cognitionexperience sampling methodologyschizophreniatheory of mind
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 50 , Issue 5 , April 2020 , pp. 754 - 760
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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Footnotes

*

GROUP investigators are: Behrooz Z. Alizadeh, Agna A. Bartels-Velthuis, Nico J. van Beveren, Richard Bruggeman, Wiepke Cahn, Lieuwe de Haan, Philippe Delespaul, Carin J. Meijer, Inez Myin-Germeys, Rene S. Kahn, Frederike Schirmbeck, Claudia J.P. Simons, Neeltje E. van Haren, Jim van Os, and Ruud van Winkel.

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