Interpreting thoughts Interpreting thoughts from your gazefrom your gaze

What children and apes What children and apes read into the direction of read into the direction of

gazegaze

Why look at the eyes? Why look at the eyes? Why not look at feet or mouth?Why not look at feet or mouth?

Butterworth: By 18 Butterworth: By 18 months, infants are months, infants are highly proficient in highly proficient in tracking their tracking their mother’s direction mother’s direction of gaze.of gaze.

Lobmaier et al (2006)Lobmaier et al (2006)Experimental PsychologyExperimental Psychology

What are the benefits of being able to track gaze direction?

• 1. Social referencing. Source et al. (1985)

• 2. Language development: Baldwin (1994)

It’s a geewokker!

• 3. Understanding the mind behind the utterance: Robinson & Mitchell (1992)

It’s a wug

Can chimps follow gaze?Can chimps follow gaze?Povinelli & Eddy (1996)Povinelli & Eddy (1996)

Can children with autism interpret Can children with autism interpret gaze?gaze?

Baron-Cohen: The Baron-Cohen: The Eye Direction Eye Direction Detector as a brain Detector as a brain module that module that effectively is the effectively is the seat of our seat of our understanding of understanding of the mind.the mind.