social cognition

Social cognition captures children’s abilities to think about and comprehend social relationships with others, recognize the feelings of others, and, if required, take actions that are meant to make others feel better. Social cognition encompasses empathy – children’s abilities to read others’ emotions and respond appropriately – as well as prosocial behaviour that includes helping others who may be in distress. Understanding the feelings of oneself and others includes the ability to (1) comprehend basic emotions (e.g. happiness, sadness and anger) and how these emotions are expressed, as well as their antecedents, causes and consequences; (2) recognize that emotions are complex (e.g. two individuals can feel two different emotions in response to the same event); and (3) distinguish rules for how to display basic and more complex emotions (e.g. shame or guilt). Accurate interpretation of the feelings of others provides important information about social situations and what constitutes appropriate responses.