Yasmin Harman-Smith
Room 315, Hughes Building Phone +61 (08) 8303 36102 Fax +61 (08) 8303 3770 yasmin.harman-smith@adelaide.edu.au |
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Area of Research
The development of theory of mind.
Expertise
Behavioural Intervention in Autism
Theory of Mind
Awards
Summer Scholarship 2003 – The effect of Advertising on the Aging
Faculty of Health Sciences Postgraduate Award - 2006
Psychology Research Interests
My interest lies in Theory of Mind research. Theory of Mind is in essence meta-representation, the ability to think about other people’s thoughts. Tests of Theory of Mind, such as the Sally-Anne False-Belief test, can be passed by 4 year olds but not by 3 year olds. Individuals with Autism also have difficulties with False-Belief tests, thus research has postulated individuals with Autism lack a Theory of Mind mental module. This research has further postulated a missing Theory of Mind mental module as a cause of some of the symptoms of Autism.
Research Project
My research project examines whether there is some extra cognitive element involved in passing tests of Theory of Mind, or whether it involves the same cognitive abilities used in other areas of thinking and reasoning, such as thinking and reasoning about the physical world.
