Abstract

BOTHOF, Reinoud  and  WIESE, Elizabeth Batista Pinto. Joint attention: providing bases for social-cognitive and language skills.. TransForm. Psicol. (Online) [online]. 2009, vol.2, n.1, pp.52-64. ISSN 2176-106X.

Joint attention entail the mutual focus of two human beings on either a common object of interest or on each other. When two persons focus on one another, emotional and mental states can be inferred by means of mirror neurons, dispersed over brain regions involved in emotionality and motor coordination. The mirror neuron system is suggested to have an important role in motor synchronization for shared behavioral goals, as well as imitation of articulation and speech gestures. Joint attention bids associated with a common object of interest can accommodate learning, especially by forming proper learning environments for language acquisition in infants. Attention-regulating areas in the prefrontal cortex have a central role in the initiation of joint attention, and a pattern of specialization has to mature in children, as areas responsible for initiation and maintenance of joint attention migrate towards the frontal poles of the brain.

Keywords : Joint attention; mirror neuron system; social cognition; empathy; language development.

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