Social Cognition

Social cognition refers to a set of mentalizing processes that provide the basis for healthy social interactions. It encompasses processes of theory of mind, social knowledge, and perception that underlie interpersonal sharing (empathy), transactions, and many forms of social interaction. Social cognition is impaired in many neurological, psychiatric, and developmental disorders. Expressions of social cognition are found in diverse animal species in the form of dominance hierarchies, coalitions, reconciliation, altruism, food sharing, perception of gaze and facial expressions, and vocalizations.