A comparison between a mentalistic and a non-mentalistic training: Evaluation of theory of mind, cooperation and prosocial behaviour in school-aged children

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Marcella Caputi, Dario Maglione, Carolina Decio, Ileana Locarini, Martina Meroni, Eleonora Rosi, Federica Cugnata, Chiara Brombin
Publishing Year 2019 Issue 2019/3
Language Italian Pages 22 P. 461-482 File size 219 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2019-003002
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The current study, conducted on 9- and 10-year-old children, aimed at evaluating the effects of two trainings - one mentalistic and one non-mentalistic - on theory of mind, cooperation and prosociality. The two trainings were compared, randomizing the sample in two groups composed by 105 children each. Theory- of-mind abilities increased more in the group assigned to the theory-of-mind condition, levels of cooperation and prosocial behaviour increased in both groups and theory of mind emerged as a significant predictor of cooperation but not of prosocial behaviour.

Keywords: Theory of mind, training, middle childhood, cooperation, prosocial behaviour.

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Marcella Caputi, Dario Maglione, Carolina Decio, Ileana Locarini, Martina Meroni, Eleonora Rosi, Federica Cugnata, Chiara Brombin, Un training mentalistico ed uno non mentalistico a confronto: valutazione di teoria della mente, cooperazione e prosocialità in età scolare in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 3/2019, pp 461-482, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2019-003002