12.4.4: Social Cognition
- Page ID
- 232926
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Define social cognition and describe its development in infancy and toddlerhood.
- Identify the biological and social factors that influence the development of early social-cognitive skills.
Social Cognition in Infants and Toddlers
Social cognition refers to the ability to perceive, interpret, and respond to social interactions, laying the foundation for later language and social-emotional development (Meltzoff & Marshall, 2018). In infancy and toddlerhood, children begin developing an understanding of people as intentional agents. This early awareness is shaped through interactions with caregivers and social partners, as well as infants’ growing ability to recognize and predict others' behaviors.
One of the earliest markers of social cognition is face perception, which emerges in the first months of life. Infants are biologically attuned to human faces and show a preference for looking at faces over other visual stimuli (Johnson et al., 2015). By around 6 months, they can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces and begin to exhibit social referencing—looking to caregivers for cues about how to react in uncertain situations (Walden & Ogan, 1988). For example, an infant who encounters a new toy may glance at a caregiver’s expression; if the caregiver smiles, the infant is more likely to engage with the toy, whereas a fearful expression may lead the infant to withdraw.
Joint Attention
Another key development in social cognition is joint attention, which refers to the ability to share attention with another person toward an object or event. Joint attention typically emerges between 9 and 12 months and is a crucial precursor to language and social learning (Tomasello, 2019). When a caregiver points at an object and an infant follows their gaze, they are demonstrating an early understanding that others have perspectives and intentions that can be shared. This ability to coordinate attention with others enhances learning opportunities and strengthens social bonds.
Theory of Mind
By the toddler years, children begin to develop a theory of mind, which is the understanding that others have thoughts and emotions that may differ from their own. While a full theory of mind does not emerge until later in childhood, toddlers exhibit early forms of this ability through behaviors such as pretend play and empathy (Wellman, 2014). For example, a toddler who sees a peer crying may attempt to comfort them by offering a toy, showing an emerging awareness of others’ emotions. Additionally, toddlers begin engaging in imitative learning, where they observe and replicate the actions of caregivers and peers, often in a socially meaningful manner (Meltzoff, 2007). This capacity for imitation supports both cognitive and social development, as it enables young children to acquire new skills, cultural practices, and behavioral norms.
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\). Infants and toddlers often imitate what they see others doing, especially in socially meaningful ways. Image by mliu92 is licensed CC BY-SA 2.0.
Influences on Social Cognition
Both biological factors and social experiences influence the early development of social cognition. The brain regions associated with social processing, such as the prefrontal cortex and the superior temporal sulcus, undergo significant growth during infancy and toddlerhood (Grossmann, 2015). However, social interactions play a critical role in shaping these cognitive abilities. Responsive caregiving, conversational turn-taking, and exposure to diverse social experiences help refine infants’ understanding of social cues and intentions (Shimpi & Huttenlocher, 2007). Furthermore, children who experience rich social environments, including secure attachment relationships and opportunities for peer interaction, tend to develop stronger social-cognitive skills (Meins et al., 2013).
By the end of toddlerhood, children have built a foundation for interpreting emotions, engaging in reciprocal interactions, and understanding basic social norms. These early social-cognitive abilities serve as critical building blocks for later relationships.
References, Contributors and Attributions
Grossmann, T. (2015). The development of social brain functions in infancy. Psychological Bulletin, 141(6), 1266–1287. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000002
Johnson, M. H., Senju, A., & Tomalski, P. (2015). The two-process theory of face processing: Modifications based on two decades of data from infants and adults. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 50, 169–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.10.009
Meins, E., Fernyhough, C., Arnott, B., Leekam, S. R., & de Rosnay, M. (2013). Mind-mindedness and theory of mind: Mediating roles of language and perspectival symbolic play. Child Development, 84(5), 1777–1790. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12061
Meltzoff, A. N. (2007). 'Like me': A foundation for social cognition. Developmental Science, 10(1), 126–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2007.00574.x
Meltzoff, A. N., & Marshall, P. J. (2018). Human infant imitation as a social survival circuit. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 24, 117–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.08.005
Shimpi, P. M., & Huttenlocher, J. (2007). Encouraging development of perspective-taking: Talking about the past and the future. Developmental Psychology, 43(2), 349–357. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.2.349
Tomasello, M. (2019). Becoming human: A theory of ontogeny. Harvard University Press.
Walden, T. A., & Ogan, T. A. (1988). The development of social referencing. Child Development, 59(5), 1230–1240. https://doi.org/10.2307/1130486
Wellman, H. M. (2014). Making minds: How theory of mind develops. Oxford University Press.