Department of Clinical Psychology, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Aging Ment Health. 2013;17(5):527-34. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2012.758235. Epub 2013 Jan 21.
Social intelligence is the ability to understand others and the social context effectively and thus to interact with people successfully. Research has suggested that the theory of mind (ToM) and executive function may play important roles in explaining social intelligence. The specific aim of the present study was to test with structural equation modeling (SEM) the hypothesis that performance on ToM tasks is more associated with social intelligence in the elderly than is performance on executive functions.
One hundred and seventy-seven participants (age 56-96) completed ToM, executive function, and other basic cognition tasks, and were rated with social intelligence scales.
The SEM results showed that ToM and executive function were strongly correlated (0.54); however, only the path coefficient from ToM to social intelligence, and not from executive function, was significant (0.37).
ToM performance, but not executive function, was strongly correlated with social intelligence among elderly individuals. ToM and executive function might play different roles in social behavior during normal aging; however, based on the present results, it is possible that ToM might play an important role in social intelligence.
社交智能是一种有效理解他人和社会情境的能力，从而能够成功地与人互动。研究表明，心理理论（ToM）和执行功能可能在解释社交智能方面发挥重要作用。本研究的具体目的是通过结构方程建模（SEM）检验假设，即在老年人中，执行功能相比心理理论（ToM）任务，与社交智能的相关性更低。
177 名参与者（年龄 56-96 岁）完成了心理理论、执行功能和其他基本认知任务，并接受了社交智能量表的评估。
SEM 结果表明，心理理论和执行功能之间存在强烈的相关性（0.54）；然而，只有从心理理论到社交智能的路径系数是显著的（0.37），而不是从执行功能到社交智能的路径系数。
在老年人中，心理理论表现而不是执行功能与社交智能密切相关。心理理论和执行功能在正常衰老过程中的社会行为中可能发挥不同的作用；然而，基于目前的结果，心理理论可能在社交智能中发挥重要作用。
