Teaching Social Thinking & Perspective Taking Dr. Karen Wolffe Dr. Sharon Sacks Ext. 313

It’s important to understand that as children mature, they take more information into account and appreciate that different people may react differently to the same situation.

What is Social Thinking? The ability to look beyond oneself. The ability to look beyond oneself. The ability to recognize that one’s behavior affects others. The ability to recognize that one’s behavior affects others. The ability to take the role of others, & understand how the impact of one’s actions affects others. The ability to take the role of others, & understand how the impact of one’s actions affects others.

Social cognition involves role- taking, perspective-taking, empathy, moral reasoning, interpersonal problem-solving and self knowledge.

Role-taking is what social or psychological information may look like from the position of another person.

Perspective-taking more generally involves an “understanding of how human points of view are related and coordinated with each other.”

Perspective-taking requires an individual to consider his or her thoughts and also those of others…within a limited amount of time (seconds).

Perspective taking is a social skill that requires analysis of one’s thoughts and feelings as well as the thoughts and feelings of others. It requires a multi-faceted approach to social decision making.

Stages of Perspective Taking  Undifferentiated perspective- taking (3-6) – Children recognize that they have different thoughts and feelings than others, but they frequently confuse the two. They make no distinction between their point of view and the points of view of others. [egocentric]

Stages of Perspective Taking  Social-informational perspective- taking (5-9) – Children understand that different perspectives may result because people have access to different information. However, there is no indication that they take this awareness into consideration. [differential/subjective]

Stages of Perspective Taking  Self-reflective perspective-taking (7-12) – Children can “step into another person’s shoes” and view their own thoughts, feelings, and behavior form the other person’s perspective. They also recognize that others can do the same. [reciprocal]

Stages of Perspective Taking  Third-party perspective-taking (10-15) – Children can step outside a two-person situation and imagine how the self and other are viewed form the point of view of a third, impartial party. [mutual]

Stages of Perspective Taking  Societal perspective-taking (14- adult) – Individuals understand that third-party perspective-taking can be influenced by one or more systems of larger societal values. [coordinate perspective of society with individual and group]

Citation Selman, R. L. (1980). The growth of interpersonal understanding: Developmental and clinical analyses. New York: Academic Press.

Activities to Promote Social Thinking & Perspective - Taking

Strategies for Young Children (Preschool) Encourage greetings & social initiations to demonstrate awareness of others Encourage greetings & social initiations to demonstrate awareness of others Encourage sharing of toys, games, play equipment, & personal treasures) Encourage sharing of toys, games, play equipment, & personal treasures) Encourage making choices & turn- taking Encourage making choices & turn- taking

Expect reciprocity in language, and in actions. Script it if necessary. Do not allow students to ignore social cues in language. (e.g., “Hi! How are you?” requires a response, “Fine, thanks, how are you?”) Expect reciprocity in language, and in actions. Script it if necessary. Do not allow students to ignore social cues in language. (e.g., “Hi! How are you?” requires a response, “Fine, thanks, how are you?”)

Strategies for Elementary-Age Students (K-3) Provide child with activities that expose him/her to the world beyond the home in order to share thoughts & ideas. Provide child with activities that expose him/her to the world beyond the home in order to share thoughts & ideas. Encourage curiosity so that the student is an active participant, “Wow, I wonder what that noise is all about?” Encourage curiosity so that the student is an active participant, “Wow, I wonder what that noise is all about?”

Model positive by thinking aloud, “I bet it’s hard to wait in the lunch line. It’s moving slowly today. I think the other kids are getting tired of waiting so long.” Model positive by thinking aloud, “I bet it’s hard to wait in the lunch line. It’s moving slowly today. I think the other kids are getting tired of waiting so long.”

Strategies for Elementary/Middle School Students (Grades 2-6) Practice & model complimenting others. (e.g., “I really like your new jacket”) Practice & model complimenting others. (e.g., “I really like your new jacket”) Model & demonstrate empathy for others. (e.g., “I’m sorry you hurt yourself playing soccer” Model & demonstrate empathy for others. (e.g., “I’m sorry you hurt yourself playing soccer”

Describe social interactions that you observe and ask students how they think others felt. If your student has difficulty or guesses incorrectly, give him or her an A option or a B option Describe social interactions that you observe and ask students how they think others felt. If your student has difficulty or guesses incorrectly, give him or her an A option or a B option Give students positive reinforcement when they show sensitivity toward others. Be specific Give students positive reinforcement when they show sensitivity toward others. Be specific

Strategies for Middle School & High School Students (Grades 6-10) Teach students to listen and accurately interpret social interactions or conversations. Teach students to listen and accurately interpret social interactions or conversations. Provide students with ways they can elicit assistance from others to interpret non-verbal social cues Provide students with ways they can elicit assistance from others to interpret non-verbal social cues

Encourage students to evaluate their social behavior when they interact with others. (e.g., “When you didn’t answer your partner, what do you think he was feeling? Encourage students to evaluate their social behavior when they interact with others. (e.g., “When you didn’t answer your partner, what do you think he was feeling? Encourage the student to reach out to others & help them. Demonstrate ways a person can help another person. Encourage the student to reach out to others & help them. Demonstrate ways a person can help another person.

Strategies for High School Students & Young Adults (Grades 9-13) Encourage students to keep a journal of their interactions with others. Consider having students interview other students or colleagues who they don’t know well regarding social values or political perspectives. Encourage students to keep a journal of their interactions with others. Consider having students interview other students or colleagues who they don’t know well regarding social values or political perspectives. Encourage mutual respect for another person’s values or ideas. Encourage mutual respect for another person’s values or ideas.

Set up triads…two people to chat and one to observe. Give the triads assignments or topics to discuss. Have the observer note the duration of the social interaction, the body language, complimenting /compromising, and more. Discuss with the observer, if he or she aligned with one of the other members-why or why not? Set up triads…two people to chat and one to observe. Give the triads assignments or topics to discuss. Have the observer note the duration of the social interaction, the body language, complimenting /compromising, and more. Discuss with the observer, if he or she aligned with one of the other members-why or why not?

Resources Corn, Bina, & Sacks (2008). Looking Good: A Curriculum on Physical Appearance & Personal Presentation, Pro- Ed, Austin, TX Corn, Bina, & Sacks (2008). Looking Good: A Curriculum on Physical Appearance & Personal Presentation, Pro- Ed, Austin, TX Sacks & Wolffe (2006). Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments: From Theory to Practice, AFB Press, New York Sacks & Wolffe (2006). Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments: From Theory to Practice, AFB Press, New York Winner-Garcia (2008). Thinking Socially Winner-Garcia (2008). Thinking Socially