swbluto wrote:
So, I'm thinking about this and I'm wondering how theory of mind deficits in autism is related to concerns/thinking about ones reputation. Reputation basically seems to be a collection of others' thoughts/impressions about you, and so it would seem that worrying about ones reputation would require a sufficiently advanced ToM. Anyone confirm/deny this?
Do you really mean "worrying" about reputation, or do you mean "wondering?" Not sure. There's a difference though.
Figuring out, without outrightly asking others, what your reputation is, would require pretty good ToM skills. Actually, I would say pretty advanced ToM skills to actually be accurate. ToM isn't necessarily about accuracy though. It's about whether or not we even try to figure out what others think. It's about whether or not we can even conceive the fact that others may have perspective that's totally foreign from our own.
I wonder sometimes what others think of me, but I never "worry" about it. I try to figure it out too, which means I have some level of ToM, but I never know for sure if I'm right until I ask people to tell me. Even then, I never know how honest people are when they tell me.
Yeah, there's a relationship there, but how it relates depends a lot on the exact nature of your question. "Worrying?" No, I don't think so. "Wondering or contemplating, and trying to figure it out?" Yes, I think that requires ToM.
_________________
I'm not likely to be around much longer. As before when I first signed up here years ago, I'm finding that after a long hiatus, and after only a few days back on here, I'm spending way too much time here again already. So I'm requesting my account be locked, banned or whatever. It's just time. Until then, well, I dunno...