Mindreading across cultural boundaries

Two studies were conducted to examine the role of culture in mindreading (i.e., the ability to read the mental states of others). We focused on features of the target (cultural ingroup or outgroup), as well as features of the perceiver (cultural competencies, Mono-Cultural or Cross-Cultural) that might affect mindreading accuracy. Study 1 found no difference in the mindreading accuracy of Caucasian Australians (N = 166) when presented with Caucasian Australian ingroup or Korean outgroup targets. However, exploratory moderation analyses showed participants’ mindreading of outgroup targets was more accurate the more open to experiences they were. Mindreading of outgroup targets was also better, the higher participants’ motivational cultural intelligence. Study 2 examined mindreading among Mono-Culturals and Cross-Culturals (N = 223). We found that Mono-Culturals were less accurate when mindreading outgroup than ingroup targets, but this effect was not observed for Cross-Culturals. Furthermore, cultural grounding was positively associated with mindreading accuracy of in/outgroup targets. The studies provide evidence that openness to other cultures and cross-cultural experiences respectively facilitates mindreading accuracy.     

Playing Social Chess: Children's play and social intelligence

Humans live in complex social environments. By the time they reach adulthood, most people have developed highly sophisticated social skills, including the ability to infer the 'invisible' mental states in others, and to act upon those inferences; they have become experts at 'social chess'. This paper draws upon research from developmental and evolutionary psychology, primatology, as well as studies of autistic children, to explore the processes by which children acquire the complex skills underpinning social interaction. It also examines obstacles to social skill acquisition. In light of ethological studies of social play in humans and other primates, it is argued that play is a fundamental medium for acquiring social skills.