Infants’ Grasp of Others’ Intentions: The Development of Social Understanding
Presidential Lectures are free public colloquia centered on four main themes: Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Neuroscience and Autism Science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are intended to foster discourse and drive discovery among the broader NYC-area research community. We invite those interested in the topic to join us for this weekly lecture series.
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In this lecture, Amanda Woodward discusses the nature and origins of children’s social understanding. When we watch others act, we see more than bodies in motion; we see agents whose actions are structured by intentions. This fundamental aspect of human social cognition has profound implications for early childhood development and social learning.
Kevin Pelphrey provides post-lecture commentary on the ways in which our growing understanding of the early developmental origins of children’s social cognition can inform our search for early diagnostic indicators of autism. This, in turn, could lead to more effective early treatments for the core social deficits in autism.