Visual perspective taking as investigated by fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS)

Visual perspective taking (VPT) corresponds to our ability to see the world from another person's perspective. We investigated VPT using fast periodic visual stimulation (FPVS) approach while measuring electroencephalography (EEG). This thesis had two main objectives, the first was to extend the FPVS approach to study high-level socio-cognitive functions in the human brain. The second objective was to investigate the cognitive basis of mind-reading, and discriminate whether implicit VPT involves perspective taking mechanisms (mentalizing hypothesis) or only spatial cuing mechanisms (submentalizing hypothesis). Our findings lead to support another theoretical framework, the continuum scale theory which consider that submentalizing and implicit mentalizing are not dichotomous processes but reflect a continuum of processing of increased depth. Overall,this thesis provides a promising new approach for exploring the neural basis in human social cognition and their inter-individual difference.(PSYE - Sciences psychologiques et de l'éducation) -- UCL, 201