Files
Abstract
This thesis examined the relationship between Executive Function (EF) and Theory of Mind (ToM). EF consists of higher-order cognitive processes (Carlson, Mandell, & Williams, 2004) that encompass processes involved in goal-oriented behavior, such as planning and sequencing (Royall et al., 2002). ToM refers to the ability to understand the views and beliefs of another person (Baron-Cohen, 1988). This thesis examined which of nine EF variables contributed significant unique variance in three tests of ToM. Three separate regression analyses were conducted and the pattern of EF domains associated with ToM performance differed for each test. In total, cognitive flexibility, verbal fluency, design fluency, problem solving, and deductive reasoning accounted for a significant and unique amount of variance in the ToM tests. However, each tests yielded a different EF pattern. Index words: Executive Function, Theory of Mind