Wzrokowa reakcja antycypacyjna jako wskaźnik utajonej kompetencji mentalnej

Anticipatory looking reaction as an index of implicit mental competenceChildren tend to look to the correct location in the false belief task before they could give a correct verbal answer. According to Clements & Perner (1994) eye gaze reflects an implicit knowledge of mental states that children develop before the phase of explicit theory of mind. Results of Ruffman’s et al. (2001a) study seems to confirm this interpretation because they indicate that children are not conscious of the knowledge conveyed by their eye gaze and that there is a decrease of confidence of incorrect verbal answers in the period of transition from implicit to explicit understanding of false belief. In the article three still unresolved problems are discussed: (1) what is the mechanism of implicit mental competence – whether it is based on prototheory or mechanism of mental simulation?; (2) is there a developmental relationship between an implicit and explicit mental competence?; (3) what is the role of syntax and executive function in the period of transition from one to another form of mental competence? A review of theoretical and empirical arguments leads to the conclusion that there is a developmental link between both forms of mental competence and that an implicit competence may be based on a mix, theory-simulation mechanism