Origins of the social mind: Evolutionary and developmental views

Abstract

This book focuses on the evolutionary and developmental origins of the social mind, bringing together the currently segregated views on social cognition in the two fields. Ever since the term "theory of mind" was coined by D. Premack nearly 30 years ago, the concept has been the main topic of social cognition research both in developmental psychology and in primatology. These two research domains are integrated here by presenting new data on humans, nonhuman primates, and birds - in particular, corvids and a parrot - and their implications from both evolutionary and developmental points of view. The topics covered include the phylogeny of social intelligence and social cognition, and the developing ability by human children to negotiate, to tell a lie, and to understand the mental state of others. Written by leading scientists in the field, this volume will be of particular interest to comparative and developmental psychologists, primatologists, and ethologists. © Springer 2008. All rights are reserved.