幼児期における心の理論と実行機能の発達

Abstract

本論文の目的は､実行機能と心の理論の関連を検討した先行研究をレビューし､実行機能と心の理論の関連を検討していく上で､どのような研究を実施していくことが今後 重要となるのかについて方向性を見出すことである｡

The purpose of the present article was to consider components of executive function and tasks for young children, as well as theoretical hypotheses about the relationship between executive function and theory of mind. The development of executive function in the preschool years is recognized as playing a critical role in cognitive and social development. Many tasks that measure young children's executive functions have been used both in clinical neuropsychology and in developmental psychology for the past decade and a half. Executive function is defined as goal-directed behavior, including planning, organized search, and impulse control. It is not a single construct, but consists of some components, such as inhibitory control, attentional flexibility, error correction and detection, and resistance to interference. Many recent studies have demonstrated that the development of executive function is the factor that contributes to young children's understanding of other's false belief--"theory of mind". In this review, I proposed that one important factor of executive function is "goal maintenance" and that executive function should be analyzed as subcomponents that have an effect on the sub-processes of "theory of mind".