SOCIAL COGNITION AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING: A CONSTRUCTIVIST DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH

Written by Oana BENGA, Laura PETRA on 15 December 2006. Posted in Special issue: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Guest Editors: Oana BENGA, Andrei MIU, Volume IX, Nr. 2

Abstract:

The present paper extends a previous discussion on social cognition as an emergent construction, at the interplay of internal (individual) and external (environmental) constraints (Benga, 2004) along development. A special emphasis is given to internal constraints, particularly executive abilities -with a focus on the ontogenetic progression of inhibitory control. Crossings of executive abilities with theory of mind, but also with earlier joint attention abilities are discussed, within a social cognitive neuroscience perspective

Keywords: social cognition, theory of mind, executive abilities, inhibitory control, anterior cingulate cortex