実行機能と「心の理論」の発達の関連性 : 創発仮説・表現仮説・メタ表象仮説の検討

Abstract

これまでの研究では､実行機能と｢心の理論｣を測定する課題の間にかなりの相関があることが指摘されており､特に､実行機能が子どもたちの｢心の理論｣発達にどのような役割を果たしているのか､また､その因果関係がどうなっているのかについては､すでにいくつかの仮説がある｡ 本論文では､実行機能の中で特に抑制的側面が｢心の理論｣と強い関係があると指摘する論文から､ Moses (2005)の論じる創発仮説と表現仮説及びメタ表象仮説を中心にとりあげて､どの仮説が他の関連する研究とあわせて最も矛盾なく説明しうるのかについて､さらに発展させ､検討をおこなった｡

This paper aimed to elucidate the relationship between children's executive functioning (EF) and theory of mind (ToM). EF serves to monitor and control thought and action, including self-regulation, planning, set shifting, inhibitory control, error detection and correction, and working memory. There are several studies reporting significant correlations between the two constructs. Among them, three hypotheses explaining these relationships are as follows: (1) The emergence hypothesis proposes that EF affects the emergence of ToM concepts; (2) The expression hypothesis claims that EF affects the expression of preexisting ToM capacities; and (3) The metarepresentational hypothesis argues that ToM affects the emergence of executive skills. Considering the result from meta-analyses, longitudinal data, cross-cultural data in terms of the causal direction between EF and ToM, the overwhelming share of the evidence is most consistent with the emergence hypothesis. On this account, executive skills may make possible the emergence of ToM concepts, however, they are insufficient to create those concepts. Children thus need exposure to relevant experiences to meet false beliefs.